My huntersan
by ayamechin
Summary: A sudden mission in UK for Zero, which he doesn't intend to take. But due to certain circumstances he's forced to. Zero x OC x Maria - a new love triangle.
1. Chapter 1

**_Author note:_**This story is for a close friend of mine, Bloodredhead. While I wrote this chapter I enjoyed messing with Zero. For hardcore Zero fans: the goal of this story is to have fun, so don't jump in my head if you don't like how I created his character. **Remember: have fun.**

Special thanks to **Dark Phyre **my beta reader. She did a wonderful job with my crappy english.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire knight or it characters, these belongs to Hino Matsuri.**

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><p><strong>Chapter I<strong>

He always hated that office. The only times when he entered there was to get a new job. Which vampire will he hunt now?

He was waiting for thirty minutes. It was for the first time when Cross Kaien, the president of Hunters Association, was late. God, he will kill him when he gets his hands around his neck…

After another thirty minute of waiting, the door finally swung open.

"You bastard, what took you so long? You're late!" the silver-haired vampire asked. Kaien, the man who just entered, made a shocked face. He wasn't late. He called Zero-kun at 3 PM. Checking his new watch the correct hour was confirmed.

"Zero-kun, that's rude. I was late just thirty seconds. You don't need to get mad for tiny seconds." Calmly, Kaien headed to his office, while Zero continuously got more and more pissed.

"Thirty seconds? I think you want to say 60 minutes." Zero pointed to the wall clock, it was 4 PM.

Kaien was late one hour and like it wasn't enough, Zero lost another half hour talking about watches. Like always Kaien made the same dumb expression like in the past. That man has no cure. Pissed on wasting his time with this so-called hunter, Zero snapped.

"What's my new mission? Tell me once so that I can get out of here." Another half hour with this man, and he would need therapy.

From time to time, when it was needed, Cross Kaien, the one who was named the vampire without fangs and was proclaimed the most powerful hunter became serious. He adjusted his eye glasses before speaking.

"Zero-kun, your skills are necessary in UK. Rumors about a nasty vampire have become noisier lately. You must complete a mission to find and tame that vampire. Here is some info about that vampire." Kaien handed Zero a yellow envelope. Zero didn't bother to look at it.

"UK? You want me to go in that country where it's raining every day? And if I am not wrong, isn't UK at more than 12 hours distance from here, even with a plane?"

"Correct, Zero-kun. Your mission will be in UK and probably will take several weeks. That troublesome vampire is hard to catch."

Kaien couldn't stop talking about the new mission and, this way, he didn't notice Zero's mood changing from bad to worse. A gloomy aura gathered around the young vampire, with no chances for the president to notice. Not until the young hunter exploded.

"Hell no! I refuse to go there. Plus, it's just a single vampire. Here I have more prey. Send Kaito!" Zero stormed out from the office not looking back.

There was just no way he would accept this new mission.

_One hour later_

Finally, Zero's nerves cooled down. He was in a glade behind Cross Academy. The year which passed was quiet. The night class was kept under control by Ichijou Takuma. He was ruling the night class after the initial creator, Kuran's retreated to create a family.

Since the Kuran couple ruled over vampire society, the waters were cooled now. Day by day, ex-human vampires created fewer problems. Day by day, step by step, the vampire society was heading through a peaceful co-existence with humans.

He heard steps heading in his direction. He turned around and saw her. It was Maria, the vampire who started to seduce him more than a year's ago, and slowly he had let himself caught in her web.

She wasn't a troublesome vampire; actually she was a damsel in distress with a fragile body avid for attention. He didn't love her the way she deserved, but he liked to spend his time with her sometimes.

Why sometimes? Well, that's because she wasn't so nice all the time. Even the smallest and kindest creatures had something to hide. Zero felt fine with staying with her for several hours to talk or go for a walk, but when she became too clingy, and she was like that for several hours, Zero wanted to escape from her and go hunt something or someone.

"Zero-kun! I found you!" she jumped in his arms and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Where have you been? I have been looking for you for hours." Zero put the small vampire on her feet. Somehow he had a bad feeling about her presence.

"I was in town for business." He didn't want to go into detail.

"Zero-kun?" Oh… he knew this sweet, soft voice. She always used it when she wanted to get something she knew Zero wouldn't like, but she was still willing to ask. Somehow, that sweet voice had become Zero's biggest enemy and he had no way of defeating it. His cool attitude was blow away.

"Zero-kun, I was just thinking." She continued to use the same killer voice, "we have been a couple for more than a year now and we've shared our blood." Yes, they shared their blood constantly for more than a year. Maria was the second person he drank fresh blood from. Sometimes he drank so much that he left her unconscious.

He enjoyed her blood and her feelings as well. She really loved him and he felt guilty for not returning her feelings the same. But he did what he could and Maria was aware of his efforts. He tried to compensate for his feelings with actions like making her wishes come true.

"What it is, Maria?" He was afraid to ask more. Maria then looked him straight in the eye. She did that when she really wanted something.

"I want us to get married."

Zero was so taken aback by Maria's confession that he couldn't say anything for several minutes. A cat had caught his tongue, but not Maria's. She continued to speak.

"I know we're still young and maybe you aren't prepared for marriage, but I know you like me, Zero-kun. I felt it through your blood when I drank it. I know you still have some feelings for Yuuki-chan, but at the same time I know that they aren't the same as the ones you had a few years ago. Zero-kun, I know you can be happy with me."

Finally, after minutes of silence, Zero found the audacity to meet her eyes.

"Wait here!" he said, dashing off. He headed for Cross Academy dormitory, Maria thought curiously.

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><p>In his office, the president presented the new mission to Kaito, the future former ethics teacher. Cross Kaien had no choice but to give the mission to another hunter after Zero's unexpected refusal.<p>

They were in the middle of their discussion when the door suddenly swung open and the well-known vampire hunter entered the room. He was sweating as if he had run to get there. It was for the first time when Cross and Kaito saw him so…so _agitated_.

For a moment, the worst thoughts crossed their minds. Is Kaname going berserk again? What reason does he have now? But all their worries dissipated when the young hunter opened his mouth to speak.

"The mission…can I take the mission?"

That was surprising. Hours before, the same hunter who stood in front of him had been exclusively against the mission. The hunter was now intrigued. What could have possibly caused the sudden change?

"I wanted to give it to Kaito after your refusal. His presence here is evidence of that. But Zero-kun, why have you changed your mind?"

What should he do? Should he say he's afraid of commitment? The moment Maria proposed to him, the warm blood froze in his system. For minutes, he couldn't speak and when he did, all he had managed to say was _wait here_and then he had run away like a coward.

Leaving Maria alone in the glade, he knew he wouldn't turn around, at least for a few weeks or months, enough time for him to think about his life and where he wanted it to be in the end. But Zero hadn't run away because he was confused.

He had run away because he was afraid.

The idea of saying that he ran away because of a fragile vampire to these two hunters scared the hell out of him and was out of the question. He had a reputation to maintain. If they knew they would laugh at him.

"It doesn't matter why. I want to carry out this mission. It doesn't cause any harm to change the air for few weeks."

"Ok, if you want to go in that mission I have nothing against you going. This way, I won't have trouble searching for a new ethics teacher."

At least Zero had no problems in reclaiming a mission that he had refused before. Things were going better than he thought it would.

"When should I go? I can go now. I don't even need luggage. The good thing about this mission is I won't be around the students anymore. A break from this school is highly welcomed."

The megane hunter looked at Zero. It really was suspicious.

"A plane to London leaves in two hours. If you leave now you can still catch it." The young hunter didn't wait for any more info; he left with no more words, leaving behind the yellow envelope that contained his mission details. He had no worries. If he had to, he would call.

"This vampire is hard to catch." Were the last words Zero heard from Cross Kaien.

Alone in the office, the two hunters looked at each other. It was for the first time when they saw Zero so eager for a mission, and it was an abroad mission. Of course they knew about Zero and Maria and this is the reason they were surprised. Wouldn't he be sad if he didn't get the chance to see his frail vampire companion?

After mere minutes of thinking, Kaito remembered an important detail about Zero's mission.

"Shouldn't we have told him?" he asked, removing his eyes from the envelope.

"No. Let him be surprised."

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><p>The moment the sound of her footsteps was heard on the cement, thousands of eyes turned around to see her. Since the moment she came into this school, each morning was the same: males and females watching her. Every eye darting her way.<p>

This morning, the red-haired woman was wearing black leather clothes, which exposed the curves of her body and matched wither tight, black leather boots. Every male drooled when her body was exposed to their view in such a manner. All they wanted to do was to remove, piece by piece, the constricting clothing from her pale skin, and later to admire the secrets she hid underneath.

She was hard to get. She allured men with her deep green eyes and style of clothing, but at the same time, she rejected their advances.

From time to time, when she thought she had found a man worthy of her attention, she rewarded him with responsiveness until he didn't have a will of his own. Since she reached the age of her teens, she had discovered her passion to turn men in her loyal slaves.

"Miss Anya, would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?" a twenty year old student asked her. "After that we can do something more…_pleasant_."

After thousands of years she still wasn't bored of her playful game. She traveled in different countries, hiding her identity, searching for a man who wouldn't bore her so quickly, as the others did.

She had been a student of St. Elisabeth's College for a little over three months, and yet, a certain man who perked her interests hadn't revealed himself to her yet.

Anya looked at this new face. Each day was the same: different men, different days, and the same request. They wanted her to go to dinner with them and later, to end up in their beds. They had no shame in requesting sexual pleasure. Manners were unknown and uncharted words for men.

But unfortunately for them, Anya presented no interest in beings like them. She never liked her prey to offer themselves so easily to her. They didn't fit her criteria, for a worthy male had to make her heart to beat faster.

"Sorry, but someone like you will never date someone like me. Going on a single date with you even for a fraction of a day is disgraceful for me. I hope you understand and you won't hate me for it."

She had insulted the man, but yet he couldn't say the hateful words that his mind had prepared in reply. His mind was screaming with hate for the woman who had just humiliated him, but still the words couldn't come to the surface. Against his will, he had no choice other than to obey under those green eyes, under this woman's will.

"I will never hate you, Miss Anya." He whispered. "You can do whatever you want with me. I am yours forever." He had no wish to utter those last words, but her will was too strong to say otherwise.

"I am glad." She replied, before she turned on her heel, heading to her first period class, her loyal servant, Walter, following close behind her.

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><p><strong>Author note: <strong>I will try to mantain a comedy style, I hope I would succeed.

You're free to share your thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author note: **Special thanks to **Dark Phyre **my beta reader who did a wonderful job.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or it characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter II<strong>

He never witnessed such a heavy rain in his 20 years of life. He had been in town when it had started to rain. Afraid for his lover's life he ran home, something telling him that he had to return there as quickly as possible.

He witnessed trees being put down by the strong winds. Those fallen trees were in his way to reach his lover's home. The sky was lightened by red flames, a sign that the lightning had hit something on its journey to the ground. Even though the source of the fire could have been miles away, he could smell the odor of thick smoke. He could hear the sound of people screaming.

Normally, he would have left to help the poor people who were being punished by Heaven, but his inner voice kept him running away, to his and his lover's home, where she resided, waiting.

The door's entrance was blocked by a huge tree, another victim of nature's rage. He had no chance to remove the obstacle from the doorway; he had no force to complete such a task. He had no choice other than finding another way to enter into his own home.

He broke the kitchen window and finally found his way into the house. Other than the sound of rain on the roof, it was eerily silent. His lover was nowhere to be found. He instantly became worried. When he left from his home, nearly six hours before, she had announced to him that she was going to stay home all day and do chores around the house. The signs of her half-completed work were visible, but she was nowhere in sight.

He used the same window as his exit and headed to the stable. When he was closer to his target he heard the nervous sounds of his horses. Not only humans were scared by this hateful weather, animals were, too.

But he didn't reach the stable. His ears received a faint sound… a cry. Following the sound, he inched himself further from the stable's entrance. Step by step the faint cry became more audible and soon he recognized it.

It wasn't a pleasant sound; it was a painful cry. Walter hurried to the source and what he found petrified him. His lover, the woman he had vowed to protect, had her chest pierced by a small tree branch. Her blood puddled on the wet ground.

He knelt at her side, not knowing what to do. She was already at the edge of her life. If she remained like this any longer, she would certainly die. If he tried to take out the tree branch, she would die due to blood loss. No matter what his options were, it appeared that nothing was on his side.

After mere seconds of thinking, he decided to cut a part of the branch and take her to the hospital. His biggest problem was how they would get at the hospital in such weather. The roads were blocked. To use the car was out of question, but walking on foot was out of question as well.

In the end, he decided to use a horse from the stable. It was an unconventional way of transport, but it was his only remaining option. After he prepared the horse, Walter took Rose and hurried to the nearest hospital.

It wasn't fast like the car, but at least he could arrive faster than if he had gone on foot. On his way to the hospital, through the sounds of thunder and horse steps, he could hear her small cries as the horse's muscles rippled as it ran. Fortunately for him though, Rose fought for her life, not letting go for a split second. She held onto life because she knew how important it was, not only to her, but him as well.

When he entered inside the small hospital with Rose in his arms he saw dozens of wounded people. He asked for help, but except for a beautiful red-haired woman, no one came to him. The rest of the doctors had their hands full.

The town where he lived is small, no more than 10,000 people. He thought he knew them all, but the presence of this woman was new for him. He wasn't in the situation to think on the newest doctor to the hospital; Rose's life was his top priority.

"Follow me." The new doctor said using a soft, calm voice. Walter followed her into a hospital room. There, he gently placed Rose on the bed and watched the doctor examine her.

"It's a miracle she survived until now. Her wounds are serious. One of her lungs is seriously damaged. It wasn't punctured, otherwise she would have choked on her own blood. But… she does have some internal bleeding. I am sorry, sir, but medically speaking, I can do nothing for her. She will die in less than an hour."

The doctor's words were like a piano falling on his head. He and Rose were childhood friends. Rose had always had a crush on him. The crush a 10 year old girl had on a 15 year old boy. Since she was little, she always told everyone she was going to marry Walter when she will grew up… and Walter had always replied, _yes you will._

When he had said those words back then, he had never meant them. His reply was just to not crush the hopes of a little girl, but time passed and Rose grew into a beautiful young lady. And before he realized it realize, he had fallen head over heels for her, and had asked the 15 year old girl to marry him.

When he realized that his heart was taken by Rose, he vowed he would live by her side till the death separated them. But he never imagined that Death would take her so soon. He thought they would have lots of children, and grandchildren.

He even saw himself as an old man with white hair, with his face crossed with wrinkles, having on his side an old woman. He saw them walking through the park while holding hands during their peaceful old age.

The future he imagined was bright, filled only with happiness. But life disagreed with him. Life wasn't fair. His chosen one was going to embrace death soon, and nothing they hoped for in their joyful future together was going to come to pass.

It was funny for the doctor to see his expression. _Humans' lives can be crushed so easily and at the same time it is possible to give them hope._

"I know a way to save her," the doctor said, after she became bored watching Walter's hopeless expression. Hearing her words, a new seed of hope had been born inside of him.

"You can save her? But you said she will die. What you can do?" Walter did not know what to believe anymore. One moment she told him that Rose was going to die, and the next moment the same woman told him that she could save her. Which was it?

"Yes, I can save her, but…"

"But what?"

"I want something in return."

Walter's mind raced. He would give her anything. Did she want money? How much? He would give her all the money he had.

"I don't have much money on me. I can go to the bank tomorrow. I will give…" With one finger on his lips, the doctor stopped him from talking.

"I don't want money. Money has no value to me. What I want is you."

_What did she say? To save my love… I have to leave her and live with this woman?_

"You don't have time to reflect on your decision. Your precious Rose will die in few minutes. Knowing you could save her, will you decide to let her die and live a life without her, or will you choose to be mine while your precious Rose lives on without you, maybe even marrying another?"

What could he do? He loved Rose. If he left her, she would suffer anyway. On the other hand, he couldn't live without her. Both of them would live a miserable life.

"To make your decision easier, I promise she won't remember anything about you. She will know nothing about you being her fiancé. I will replace her memories involving you. You will remain just a childhood friend, a friend she lost years ago due to an accident. Tell me, what do you chose? The clock is ticking…"

_I want her to live. I want her to be happy even if she will have another man on her side. It's okay if I suffer. I just want her to be able to live her life to the fullest, the way she want to. And if she doesn't remember me… Then she will not suffer as I will. But I can live with my suffering because I know that she will be happy without me…_

Watching him, the female doctor noticed she obtained her desired answer.

"I will save her and you will be mine. That's your choice, isn't it?"

Walter didn't have anything left to contemplate. "Yes."

Like she promised, the female doctor removed the piece of branch and started to heal the wounded girl. Walter had never seen something like that. The strange woman didn't use medication or any kind medical instruments. Walter even noticed a dim blue light coming out of her hands.

He witnessed with his own eyes how the wound from Rose's chest started to close and he could even hear her breathing steady out and flow clearer. He would have never believed, not in a million years, in the supernatural, but no matter what this strange woman did he was glad to see that it was working.

A few minutes later, after she started the strange healing process, the woman stopped and connected Rose to the medical equipment.

"Now you can hear her heart beating. I have fulfilled my promise, and it's your turn to keep your side of our bargain." The woman said.

"Can I say goodbye to her?"

"No, you can't. Saying goodbye wasn't included in our verbal contract. Her being alive is enough. Now I will take what is mine. What you have agreed to give me."

The small red-haired woman came closer to him. They were mere inches apart when she bent his head and brought her lips to his neck. She whispered upon his neck, her lips gently caressing against the skin.

"I was always attracted to boys like you. From now on, I will be your master. You will do anything to please me, won't you?"

"Yes." He answered, and felt a sharp pain in his neck. Only then did he realize that the strange woman was a vampire, a mythical creature he never believed existed… and he was her meal. He closed his eyes during her feeding, and when he opened them, a girl named Rose didn't exist for him. All his body and soul screamed loyalty to the red-haired woman standing in front of him.

"Your master's name is…Anya."

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><p>The life tricked out of him. Here he was, standing in his room, glaring at his current outfit. When he left Japan, he wanted to get away from responsibility and away from school. Well, he fulfilled the first, but the second…<p>

He had been in England for only two days. In the first, he had taken a rest in his room. The servants didn't dare try to disturb him. Zero did not need words to say this; his deadly glare was threatening enough.

Last night, while he enjoyed his dinner, the big boss of servants had come to him and presented his mission. It was necessary since Zero left in a hurry without the magic yellow envelope. It was his fault. If he would have just opened that stupid damn envelope he would have known…and who knew… maybe he would have even accepted the responsibility part of it…

And he had hoped he wouldn't have to stay in school anymore. When he graduated three months ago he had been relieved. No more traveling between hunters' headquarters and Cross Academy. And now he was standing, glaring at his… school outfit.

He was going to kill Cross. Only that megane man was able to play such a prank on him. From today, Zero was the new student of St. Elisabeth Academy. He was going to be a student in 13 grades. Well, normally, he would have been in 12 grades, but this academy had a special program where students prepare for their university entrance exam.

To Hell with this mission, he thought, annoyed at how he had been payed into such an assignment. He was going to find that nasty vampire quickly, he was going to kill him, and he was going to return home before Cross expected. And on his way back, maybe he would get lucky and find something to delay Maria. The first thing he was going to do after he landed in his country was to put his hands around Cross's neck and strangle the life out of him. Only that eccentric bastard could find an academy with 13 freaking grades.

_God, what I did do to deserve this? Is this my punishment for running away from Maria? If it is, it's cruelty in its purest form._

Asking God for mercy wasn't something Zero ever thought he would do. He was a naturally imperturbable guy. No one treated him in any way but the way he wanted to be treated… but this megane man…he had a gift which was beginning to drive Zero crazy…

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><p>Slowly, Anya opened the door. For the last 10 years, at the same hour every day, she arrived inside her slave room and watched him sleep. She already knew what he was dreaming. For the last 10 years, Walter had the same dream over and over again. He dreamed about their first encounter, the day when his humanity was lost.<p>

Anya liked to see him writhe in his sleep. It made the taste of her first morning meal seem all the more delicious and enjoyable. She never knew why she liked this, but she enjoyed it every time.

Anya came closer to Walter's bed and sat next to him. She reached out her hand and touched his pale cheek. Feeling the soft and cold texture of her hand, Walter opened his eyes and saw the same image he had woken up to for years: his hungry master.

"Do you still have nightmares?" she asked, while her pale hand caressed his cheek. "That woman is giving you troubles again?" He felt her breath on his skin. He knew what was going to come next. She was going to feast upon his blood.

"You have me. You don't need to dream about her every night." Anya seemed to delay her meal. Even if he dreamed about Rose every night, in the end, when Anya came into his room and closed her mouth on his skin, she made his heart beat faster.

All of him would beg for her fangs to pierce his skin and let her feel his feelings. Today was no exception at all. Anya's fangs grazed his skin, but not enough to pierce it. She wanted to drive him crazy.

"Tell me, Walter. Do you want me to drink your blood? When I watched you sleep, it seemed like I disgusted you, but when I drank your blood it told me that you love me. Which is it, Walter? Do you hate me or love me?"

He knew she was playing with him. No matter what his answer was, she was still going to feast upon his blood. Hatred or love, those feelings brought her joy. Their relationship was master-slave. It was impossible for him to lie to her.

"You know what I feel for you, my lady. Do I really need to use words when my blood speaks for me?"

Anya liked this part of him. Even if he had been her slave for 10 years, and he was forced to be completely submissive to her… he wasn't. Any other slave would have given her the answer I love you, but Walter always answered her with another question.

She had been right when she decided to take him under her wing. With him on her side, she would never be bored.

"Yes, you are right. Your blood has already spoken for you. I just wanted to hear your answer, though." He could felt her slight chuckle on his skin before her fangs sunk into it, and heard the familiar sound of his blood being sucked by his lady.

Walter put his arms around her small frame, closing her tightly to his chest. At the beginning of their relationship he had hesitated, not wanting to touch his lady in this way. It seemed inappropriate, but when he dared for the first time and he wasn't rejected, he repeated it each morning. For him, it seemed to be the only way he could be closer to her.

Through the thin fabric of her nightgown he could feel her hot skin, bringing him into a state of euphoria, and due to that, the taste of his blood changed from good to delicious. The more feelings in his blood… the more delicious the meal.

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><p>Here he was, in his new classroom, surrounded by his new classmates. He wanted peace, but could have it. The news of a new student spread like a virus throughout the entire school. When he made his first appearance on the school grounds, dozens of female eyes turned to glance at him and his clearly unparalleled, masculine physique.<p>

For the first time in his life he honestly believed that he was an endangered species at a zoo. For the first time in his life he pitied night class students who were, every day, suffocated by crazy day-class female students.

Zero was assaulted with a lot of questions about his hair and tattoo. Most of them said they should exchange traditional greetings or to come to one party or another. Well, in his mother country a glare was enough to stop crazy girls from circling around him like wasps, but here…no, these girls were immune…or just flat-out blind.

If someone asked him how hell looked like he would have simply answered that this was hell in its purest form. If someone asked him how heaven looked like he would have answered, my hands around that stupid megane man's neck would be his kind of heaven.

At that moment, Zero had just one tiny wish: to find his target, kill it and return home. Who cared about his responsibility? An eternity with Maria was better than an hour surrounded by these insane women.

And when he thought his mental state couldn't have suffered any more, a sweet but familiar scent reached his nostrils. His bad day was beginning to look like a good one. He couldn't have been mistaken. All his senses screamed to go to the scent, his new target. And it wasn't just any target. This scent belonged to a pureblood. He would be happy to end the life of that filthy vampire.

The door opened and the source of the scent came in.

Zero had seen enough purebloods in his short lifetime. All of them had fashion etiquette, and they were polite, more or less, but he never saw a pureblood vampire like the one who entered the classroom.

She was dressed in leather from head to toe. Her skirt was mid-thigh with a huge slit up the right side. Her shirt, if it could have been called such a thing, was too small. It barely covered her midsection. She was also wearing heeled boots.

Once she stepped inside, all male eyes stopped on her, again admiring her small yet revealing frame.

But the small red-haired vampire paid no attention to them and headed to her seat, across from Zero's.

Once she stepped on the school grounds, Anya felt the presence of a new vampire. And while she headed to her classroom, she felt a more intense, ominous aura.

Anya turned her head to Zero and smiled at him.

"Hi, I am Anya Cold. I guess you're the new student." She reached out her hand for a shake. Zero stared at the pale hand and in the end decided to be polite.

"Yes, I am the new student, Kiryu Zero. Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine. I sense we will have a lot of fun. After all, your role here will be to entertain me, hunter-san." Zero was surprised by her statement. He did not mention his role here, but somehow she knew about it. "Your name betrayed you and your killing aura. Your name reached this land, too." Anya chuckled and turned her attention to the teacher who just entered the classroom and started his lesson for the day.

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><p>"Cross! You idiot! Don't you know where you've sent me is the living form of hell on Earth? Why didn't you tell about my role as student?" No matter how much Zero wanted to have the reason of his bad mood standing right in front of him, he didn't, so he had no choice other than to rant over the phone.<p>

"Zero-kun, glad to hear you're okay. I couldn't give you details about your mission due to your hurry to leave."

"You idiot. Just remember this: when I return I _will_ kill you."

"Sure you will. Now, can you tell me about your mission?"

"…About that. You told me my target is hard to find. I found her in my first day at school. It wasn't hard at all."

"Zero-kun, I told you she's hard to _catch_, not hard to find. You were put in that academy to make catching her a bit of an easier task for you. Anya-san is very smart."

"I never told you her name. You already knew who she was?"

"Of course I knew. You would have known, too, if you would have taken the yellow envelope. All the details were in the damn thing."

_That damn yellow envelope. I'm going to burn it when I get home._

"Zero-kun, since you already know she's a pureblood vampire, you can't kill her so easily. To do that, you need to find proof of her misbehavior, send your evidence here to be evaluated by the vampire council and hunters, and then you will have permission to handle her in any way you see fit. If you won't respect the protocol you will be accused of murder and we hunters won't be able to save you."

_Damn these rules._

And here he thought he was just going to go hunt than damn woman right now and end her life. Sometimes, law was just one big pain in the ass.

"Fine! I will act accordingly with the law and after I find your stupid evidence, I will end the life of that filthy pureblood."

"If you follow the rules, no one will be bothered if you pull the trigger, Zero-kun. While you have your mission, you must be a good student. And don't bring shame to Cross Academy. We pulled a lot of strings to put you inside St. Elisabeth Academy."

"No worries. I'll make sure to do my homework."

"Oh, and Zero-kun… sorry for the weather!" were the last words Zero heard before he hung up the phone.

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><p><strong>Author note: <strong>I hope you enjoyed this new chapter. You're free to share your thoughts - constructive reviews are welcomed too.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author note: **Special thanks to **Dark Phyre **my beta reader.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any character related with it.**

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><p><strong>Chapter III<strong>

A new day. The same mission.

For the past few days, Zero followed Anya everywhere and Anya pretended not to notice. It had been amusing at first, but even Anya had her limits.

They had gone into a local coffee shop. Anya enjoyed her coffee while Zero stayed at another table, a place from where he could see any and every move that she made.

After only just a moment of Zero averting his eyes, he turned back to find that she already had vanished from his sight. Seconds later, he found her standing right in front on him. After days of playing catch, Anya decided to make the first step in approaching the ominous hunter.

"Did you order something you like?" Anya asked Zero. She had an innocent aura, but Zero knew better. Behind her innocent words he knew she was mocking him. "The chocolate cake is delicious here." It wasn't enough that she moved her persona to Zero's table, but she came with her order as well.

Well, Anya plan was to finally have a real conversation with her new entertainer. Zero did not answer. Socializing with his next victim wasn't his sort of thing.

But Anya wasn't an ordinary vampire. She didn't know the meaning of giving up. The words just weren't in her vocabulary.

"You know, I know you're following me, hunter-san. If it was a secret, it didn't work. So, why are you following me?" as response she received a deadly glare. Did he really need to tell her?

"Most men stalk me due to my beauty, because they're attracted to me. Are you that kind of man, hunter-san?" that was too much, even for Zero. This filthy pureblood had implied that he was attracted to her. For god's sake, he just wanted to shoot her and return home.

"Don't flatter yourself, Filthy. Mind my words: when I see you make a wrong move, I will kill you. Following you has absolutely nothing to do with your beauty."

This was certainly the kind of conversation she expected to have with hunter-san, her new victim.

"Hunter-san, you're rude. I know from ancient times that hunters' blood boils when a vampire is around, but that's not a reason to have no manners. To call a girl filthy is loathsome. Before a hunter, you're a man and nothing is more disgusting than a man with no respect for women."

Not only was he stuck in a rainy town, but now a filthy creature was giving him manner lessons. The world must have turned upside down.

"Hunter-san, I know you hate vampires, it's all over your face, but I can sense that you're a vampire, too. When you say filthy do you mean only my kind, purebloods or all vampires?

These purebloods and their sharp sense of smell. Of course she would be able to sense his lost humanity. "And my hunters-san, I don't know the reasons why I am watched by the Hunters Association, but trust me, you won't catch me." Anya returned to her chocolate cake while the young hunter gave her a we-will-see look.

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><p>After hours of waiting for her favorite hunter and lover to return, a fuming Maria left home. A part of her thought that she was guilty, but the other side, and it was a noisier one, just wanted just to strangle that guilty hunter.<p>

Yeah, she knew they were too young for marriage, but did he really have to ditch her like that? He could have at least said something like he wasn't not ready or their relationship should remain the way it was for a while until he thought he was ready.

But no, he left her alone in that stupid clearing (it had been such a beautiful clearing before that) waiting for hours for a man who had run away. He did not have the courage to say no to her. Oh…he was going to see when she got her hands on him…maybe she was small and fragile, but Zero should have known better: nothing can compare to a woman's rage. He was going to know the feeling on his own skin.

But out of all the time in the world. The first step was to put her tiny hands around his neck to find out where he was. And that's why she was currently in Cross's office.

"It's been a while since I've see you, Maria-chan. since you're here do you want to taste the new rose tea?" As always, Cross Kaien was a perfect host. It was hard for her to keep her rage in check, but the nobility within her helped to maintain her image.

"I would love to."

While Cross prepared the tea, they talked about trivial things, how work was going for Cross or how Maria's parents were doing. Once they sat down to drink the new flavor of the rose tea it was time for their serious talk.

"I think you're feeling alone without Zero around. You've gotten so used to him within the last year…" the man opened the conversation. It was better this way for Maria. She wouldn't look like a mad, fragile vampire.

"It was so sudden. I couldn't say goodbye to him. Because of this I don't even know where he is." she was calm on the surface, but she was boiling inside. If she hadn't received a proper education on manners in the past, she would have demolished the office she was currently in.

"I was surprised. At first he rejected the mission, but few hours later he decided to accept it."

"No kidding!"_ I was right. He ran away because I proposed to get married. You baka Zero! Wait and see…wait and see when I put my hands on you…_

"I thought he rejected it because of you, he didn't want to be separated from you. This is why I don't get why would he changed his mind and go to UK when he was totally against it?" for Cross Kaien, the reasons of his son (and he never gave up calling Zero his son) were a total mystery for him. This boy's logic seemed so complicated sometimes.

The first step of Maria's mission was accomplished. Finally she found out Zero's location. Next she should find out his precise address, UK was very big.

"UK? Why he would be sent there?" Kaien gave her a confidential look, hunters' missions were secrets. "Come on, Cross-san, you can trust in me. In case you forgot, I and Zero have been lovers for a while. My mouth is sealed."

Kaien gave her another pitiful look. "Maria-chan, I can't tell you details about a hunters' mission. It's against the rules." Apparently it was harder than she thought it will be. But she wouldn't give up so easily.

More than a year ago, when she proposed to conquer Zero she hadn't given up until the silver hunter didn't surrender under her pressure, or her charm, as she liked to call it.

"I can't believe you, Cross-san. You know Zero and I are deeply bound, and that bond was created in the last year, but you still deny my right to know where he is. Do you know how painful it is for a woman in love to know nothing about her beloved one? Since he left with no words, I wonder if he's alright, if he's getting enough sleep or eating well. You're a cruel man, Cross-san!"

First tears on Maria's cheeks broke any kind of rule Cross had until then. "Don't cry Maria-chan. I will give you his address from London and his phone number. Today you can call him to say goodnight to him."

Maria took the napkin Cross gave her and removed the trace of her fake tears. "Oh! Thank you Cross-san! Sorry for calling you a cruel man. You're a kind man."

Cross went to his desk, opened the drawer, took a piece of paper and gave it to Maria. With her goal finally accomplished she left Cross behind. She had to prepare the next step of her plan.

* * *

><p>Anya was in her room thinking about today's events. Even if she enjoyed talking with hunter-san, a part of her was annoyed. He was rude with a cute girl such as her. And he called himself a man. He should be ashamed for his behavior. Day by day, there were fewer gentlemen in the world.<p>

But he was a vampire hunter, so it was normal for him to hate vampires. Their only goal in life was to hunt and kill their prey. The blood inside him screamed for this. But before even that, he was a man and men should respect women. He was an interesting man, she would give him that. While she was around him, she could sense pureblood blood inside his body. She guessed he was fed by a pureblood.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Walter entering the room.

"My lady, it's time for you to do your homework." He really was a pain in the ass sometimes. Why did he come every day and request an impossible thing.

"Walter, did you remember my answer from yesterday?" Walter nodded. "Good. Then go and do my homework. The day when I will do human's homework hasn't yet come."

Really, was she a grown up woman or a child? Considering her behavior, Walter started to doubt about her woman status. She really was impossible. If she had been five years old, he would have put her on his knees and given her a spank.

"My lady, if you don't like doing homework then why did you join a school as a student. Being a student requires homework to be done. If this displeases you, then quit."

_Why can't he keep his mouth shut? I am his master, but he isn't completely tamed. Why you had to be a special being and why I am attracted to that? Don't get me wrong, I am glad that you're special, but sometimes you annoy me. Like now._

Looking at him, Anya noticed his I-want-an-answer look. She sighed.

"Walter, put that aside. I want to talk about something else with you." Walter submitted to her wish and took a seat at the table across from her. "What do you think about the new student, the one who's a vampire hunter?"

Since Zero came into the picture and his lady caught a liking of him, she always avoided talking with Walter about this subject. His lady being always close with that silver man constantly disturbed him; he always sensed she was in danger. It never ceased to bother him.

"I don't like him, my lady. For your sake it would be better if you avoided him." He was firm in his answer, but why did he have the feeling that his opinion didn't matter? Oh yeah, because she always did what she wanted and when things got worse, he was the one who had to clean up the mess.

"I like him. The first time I saw him, I knew he was an interesting man. You know he has pureblood blood inside his system? I guess he was the pet of a pureblood. If he was a pet before, then why won't he be mine, too? But he will be a violent pet, like a pit bull." A faint smile showed on her rosy lips. "I would love to have him under my will." She stretched her arms. "I was bored in school until now. My school life will be a bit more interesting now."

He knew what she planned. She would start to slowly charm him. Before being a pureblood she was a woman, and a beautiful one at that. Maybe he was a hunter and hated vampires, but he's a man nonetheless. When she wanted something from him, he would have no choice but to oblige.

"My lady, I don't doubt your abilities to seduce men, but the game you play is a dangerous one. My lady, if the game becomes dangerous, please give up! I don't want to lose you, my lady."

"Don't worry Walter. My life won't be in danger. The hunter-san will become _my hunter-san._"

No matter what she said, he planned to stay close and stop the man if he made an attempt at his lady's life.

* * *

><p>His days just seemed to go from worse to worse. He followed her for hours, hoping she would make a slight mistake, enough for him to get a mandate to finish her off. But not that he was wasting his time, she did nothing to get his attention, aside from the fact that she wasted her time shopping and eating. They were bound to each other: she wasted her time, a.k.a. he wasted his time.<p>

And today was a new day for his mission. His target walked on academy halls in the same extravagant outfit. She really was different from other purebloods. When he followed her, he noticed that her butler was nowhere in sight. It was a first cause he was always at her side and giving Zero deadly glares when he thought Zero stared too much at his lady.

Zero following Anya was in her plan. It would have been futile if he would have kept his routine. Suddenly, she increased the rhythm of her steps. Zero tried to catch up with her, but he lost her. Knowing she must be somewhere in the academy, Zero followed his senses to find her.

Everything went how she planned. With sure big steps Zero headed for her trap. Zero arrived into a place with a lot of doors, but what was worse was that he felt her scent coming from each of them. If luck was on his side, he would get into the right room from his first attempt.

Luck wasn't on his side. He checked five rooms and Anya was nowhere. What was worse was he had another five doors to check. He was at the seventh door when he noticed a dark silhouette in the corner of the room.

"Finally! I thought I was going to die of boredom waiting for you." Zero took out his bloody rose from his jacket pocket and pointed to her.

"Then you should have died. You would have spared my bullets." His reply was cold, how she expected it to be.

"You should calm down, hunter-san. I have done nothing to deserve your cold treatment. Can you put that aside? I won't eat you, not literally anyway."

"What games are you playing, Filth?" his gun was still pointed towards her. The aura inside became darker, sign of Anya being pissed. He really had no manners at all.

"Still rude, aren't we?" Anya rose up from her chair and headed towards, Zero not caring about the deadly weapon pointed at her persona. "It's a shame for a student of this academy to use such harsh words to a lady. I guess hunters aren't taught to speak nicely to women. You know, that language where you don't insult them."

Anya was standing right in front of him. She lifted her right hand and touched Zero's arms, trying to put aside his weapon. "You won't use this weapon because you won't have a reason to."

"Are you testing your luck?"

"Even if I left Japan, where most of the vampires are gathered, that doesn't mean I am a fool. I am aware of our laws and hunters' laws. You can't kill me without a reason. You need a damn good excuse to do so."

"Are you willing to make a bet on it, Filth?"

"Oh, hunter-san, you wanted to kill me the first moment you saw me, but you didn't, so I can conclude you don't have the right to do so. You're following me to get that good damn reason. It must be really hard on you to not be able to kill me while you're wishing for it so badly."

She was right, of course. He couldn't kill her. The law stopped him from giving her the final blow right there and now. She did nothing obvious to put her on a hunting list. But she was put under surveillance, so then it means she's not a nice vampire. Sooner or later he was going to be the one who ended her life.

"You're right. I can't give you the final blow according to the law. But my patience has a limit. One day I will wake up and I will shoot you, enough for you not to die. My finger will have slipped. I think it will be quite the accident."

Anya didn't listen in on his warning. Instead, the palms of her hands found their way to his coat. Lightly she pressed them on his covered chest.

"What are you doing? Don't touch me with your filthy hands!" He was surprised by her actions. Never in his life did his prey approach him and became so…intimate with him. Something must be wrong with this woman.

Gently, she pushed him into the wall behind him while her hands never left his body. "You're interesting, hunter-san. I like people like you." she said with a low, sweet voice. "You know, we purebloods live forever and we get bored pretty quickly. To kill time, some of us play dangerous games, like Sara-san did. Some try to find innocence, but entertainment is just a way to pass time. Some live many different lives in different cities, how I like to do it."

Her pale fingers undid the buttons of his coat. Zero was stunned by her actions. His thoughts raced._ What the…is she trying to seduce me?_ Her clever fingers didn't stop at his coat, but started to work at his shirt buttons, too. With each button undone, more skin was revealed to her sight.

Her gentle, pale fingers touched the bare skin revealed. Too shocked by her actions, the silver-haired hunter didn't move an inch, leaving his bare chest to be caressed by playful fingers. Involuntarily, his lips late escape a sound which shouldn't have been there, and fortunately for him, it was the trigger which awoke him from his slumber.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked while he smacked her hands away from his body and wanted to point his gun at her. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't in his hands anymore, instead it was somewhere on the floor. Inside his head Zero cursed his inability to react. He felt disgust for the being in front of him, but he was under her spell when she made her surprising move towards him. She really was a damn strange pureblood.

"Why do you react this way, hunter-san?" Through her voice Zero could feel she was offended by the way he treated her precious hands. "I already told I found you interesting."

If before he had no idea about her definition of interesting before, now he felt it on his own skin, a little, but enough for him to grasp the meaning.

"You want me as a man? Are you nuts? I am here to kill you, not be your prey, Filth." Anya sighed. No matter how many manners lesson she tried to teach him, this silver-haired hunter was deaf to her lessons.

"I won't eat you hunter-san, not literally anyway. I like you, and mark my words: one day you will be mine. You will crave for my touch and will come to me willingly." For a moment a chill crossed his spine. In his 20 years, he had met many of her kind and he knew just how stubborn they could be. His days were going to be more animated. That was for sure.

Zero cursed the moment when he decided to take this mission.

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><p><strong>Author note: <strong>You're free to share your thoughts. Constructive reviews are welcomed too.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author note: **Special thanks to **Dark Phyre **my beta reader.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any character related to it.**

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><p><strong>Chapter IV<strong>

The scenery changed. Zero wasn't in rainy UK anymore. He was home in his mother country taking a nap under his favorite tree at Cross Academy. He had wished to be here and luck had apparently been on his side.

His vampire senses became alert when the sound of steps came closer and closer to him. He opened his eyes and was ready to jump and take out his gun. He gave up at the last two options when above him, ogling him with gentle eyes, was his fragile vampire, Maria.

"Zero-kun, I missed you!" she chirped and jumped into his welcoming arms. "You left with no words. I was mad at you at first, but when I saw you my anger faded away and I wanted just to hug you and kiss you." Her soft lips crushed upon his.

Their kiss was chaste at first but heated a few moments later. It had been just few days, but he had missed her dearly. His tongue licked her bottom lip. She gasped and Zero took the opportunity to taste each corner of her sweet cavern. Maria didn't waste her chance to respond the same. Their tongues engaged into an erotic dance, never wishing to separate again.

Minutes later, they parted to take a gulp of air and then joined in the same dance once more. Their eager mouths swallowed theirs sounds and their hands explored their partner's body. Each of his touches and caresses upon her covered flesh made her whimper in pleasure.

They switched positions, with him above the fragile vampire. His lips left her mouth and moved to the flesh of her neck. His tongue trailed wet traces on her neck while his hands traveled on her body, removing her cloths item by item.

Her skin was soft under his touch. His hands kneaded the flesh. Whimpers filled his ears, her sounds getting him drunk. Her eyes were hazy, her lips were swollen and red from his ministrations, her nude body beneath him screamed for attention.

Her small hands roamed over his chest, up and down. Who would have thought that a vampire female with hands so small could cause so much pleasure to him? Zero crushed his mouth upon hers once again. Their kiss was hungry, demanding.

Faster than sound, Zero removed his clothes. His naked skin touched hers and a hot sensation went through their bodies. His big hands parted her legs enough for him to settle between them.

His lips and tongue travelled on her neck and further over her chest, kissing and licking the skin underneath. She arched her back, moaned at his ministrations and wanted more. Zero's right hand stopped to knead one of her breasts and his mouth closed over the other one, while his left one caressed her inner thigh coming closer to her female spot.

They switched positions. Usually Maria was shy - she always stayed at his mercy, but not now. Now she wanted to be on top. She wanted to have control over his body.

Her kissable lips kissed his neck and moved lower on his chest. She swirled her pink tongue over his left nipple and he groaned when her vampire fangs brushed over it.

"My hunter-san," he heard her say and he snapped his eyes open. The voice he just heard was unknown to him - it didn't belong to his fragile lover. Suddenly he found himself under the mercy of that red-haired pureblood.

He was shocked. He couldn't move, but he could speak. "What are you doing here?" a sneaky smile came from her and her hands traveled over his bare chest. "You called me. Finally, my hunter-san is aware of his feelings for me."

What feelings? He didn't remember having something like this for her, except repulsion and other feelings from the same category. And where had Maria gone? Seconds ago she was under his mercy, his hands discovering her body.

"Don't talk rubbish. I will never want you and me in this kind of…situation. Ever." Anya moved her hands from his pectorals to his abs and lower to the band of his pants. His brain said no, but his body was a whole other story.

"You can't lie to yourself, my hunter-san. You can scream no, but when my hands caress you, you can't help yourself not to whimper…you can say no, but the truth is that you want me." She grinned and started to kiss his bare chest again. Her hands unzipped his pants…

* * *

><p>His eyes snapped open, for real this time. He found himself in his room. Thank God it was just a dream. His breath was heavy, his body was covered in sweat and the damn room was too hot.<p>

He lifted his body off the bed, headed to the closet, pulled a pair of pants and a shirt over his head to lay against his sweated body and left to wander into the cold night. He needed it.

Once, he had been in love with that Kuran princess, but no matter how big his love was, he had never dreamed something like…like what had happened moments ago. It was a first. While he wandered in the cold night, he thought about today's events.

He had followed her with the hope in his mind that today she would make a small mistake and he would catch her in the act. He felt like a cat who wanted to catch the mouse. But in this particular situation, he was the mouse, and she was the cat.

In a matter of moments, he was trapped in her web. But he never expected to be seen by his prey-to-be as a sexual trophy. It was the first time when a female vampire approached him and revealed her shameful intentions to him.

His target, Anya Cold wasn't too different from other pureblood, except her fashion style, but she had the same arrogance in her voice and her movements. His past experiences taught him that purebloods wanted to get everything they desired. And also that they knew how.

Zero stopped and froze. This woman wanted him as a lover or a sex toy. From today on, he had to be very careful if he didn't want to sign his name on her list of conquests.

Damn this woman. This mission was supposed to be a fast one and obviously without so many problems. Who would have thought she could be such a problematic…target. Since when did vampires have a sexual attraction towards their executioner?

He walked for at least one hour when his thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream. It was weaker, but he could sense the presence of a vampire and the smell of blood forced him to hurry towards to sound. When he got there, he saw a woman who was clearly trying to protect herself with a rod. She was clumsy in her movements, but at least she could protect her physical integrity until someone could come and lend some assistance to help her.

The other vampire sensed the presence of an intruder and turned around to face the vampire who dared to interrupt him from his nightly hunt. His face turned pale when he saw the gun in the intruder's hands. The vampire back away from his prey and managed to leave before Zero could pull the trigger.

Zero wanted to follow him, but he changed his mind when the small woman fell to the ground, unconscious. He noticed a deep wound on her right leg which required immediate medical assistance. He took the small girl into his arms and headed for his temporary home to take care of her wounds.

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><p>Why did he take the girl to his home? He could have taken her to the nearest hospital and doctors could have taken care of her wounded leg; but no, he decided to take her to his provisional household and take care of her there.<p>

With her in his home, it would have been easier for him to find out some information about the vampire who attacked her. With her in a hospital, it would have been more difficult, not to mention what would happen if she told to the doctors about the monster with fangs which attacked her in her fright or hysteria. She would have been sent to a mental institution and he wouldn't have been able to go near her and know the precious information that he wanted.

It was around noon when the house's servant informed him about the young lady.

"Kiryu-san, she just woke up. A maid is with her and is changing her bandage. The guest asked where she was and asked us if we were partners with the monster which attacked her. I simply said no."

All Zero did was to listen to the servant. He showed repulsion when that stranger associated them with that filth of a vampire.

"She's remembering you and she requested your presence. She has very good lungs, Kiryu-san. She won't stop yelling her request until her wish is granted."

Well, he wanted to give her some time to rest, but if she wished for his presence then he would grant her wish. This way he would be able to find out precious information more quickly than if he waited until she was back to her top physical condition, and the guest would leave his "temporary" house sooner.

When he opened the door…

"Thank God! I've been talking to myself for thirty minutes and no one bothered to come. My last visitor was the maid who changed my bandage. I asked her where I am and all she could say is that I am safe and no one can harm me anymore. Sorry if I don't completely buy that. I tend to be cautious with strangers, especially the strange ones."

_Can this woman shut up? I am not surprised that she was left alone with her big mouth…_

Zero decided to sit on a chair beside her bed. "You're safe. I brought you here to take care of your wounded leg. You should say thank you instead of complaining."

The blonde haired woman bent her head. She knew she should be grateful for the help she got, but that cursed mouth of hers…

"Don't misunderstand. I am grateful that you saved me last night and took care of my wound, but why didn't you take me to the hospital instead? Wouldn't that have been better for my health?"

Zero sighed. "That would have been a good idea if your wound hadn't been inflicted by a vampire. With you here I can easily talk about that subject and I can be assured that you won't talk to others about last night's events."

"Why shouldn't I talk with others and warn them about their existence? They hunt people like me. People should know about their existence and take counter measures."

And this is the reason why not all humans know about their existence… they would cause more problems. He would have never thought he would say what he was about to say, but he had no choice.

"Listen, most of the people don't know about the presence of vampires in our world, but there are others who know. Like humans, vampires have their laws and must respect them; if not they will suffer the consequences. The vampires who break the law are put on the hunt list."

"Hunt list?"

"Yes, a hunt list. When a vampire escapes from the vampire council's eyes, he or she is put on the hunting list and we, the hunters, are assigned to kill them."

"You're talking like only a select few of them are attacking humans, but aren't all vampires greedy for blood? Aren't they all the same? You, the hunters, should hunt them all down, not just some who break the law."

It would have been difficult for Zero to reason with this stubborn woman. All she thought was that all vampires should die.

"Not all vampires are like this. Some of them are kind and try to co-exist with humans. Those vampires don't see humans as food. Moreover, there are some who fight to protect humans from their own kind."

She was really mad know. This man started to preach to her about vampires and their ways of living when she knew very well all about them. She did not meet them just once, after all. She had met one before and that one had caused her the biggest pain of her life. It had ruined her.

"Maybe I would believe you if I didn't know that they liked to take whatever they want no matter who they hurt."

Zero was beginning to become tired of their current conversation. He didn't want to talk about all vampires; he was interested in one specific vampire: the one from last night.

"Miss…"

"Rose, my name is Rose."

"Miss Rose, would you be kind enough to tell me what happened last night? I want to know everything. A vampire is misbehaving and is seeking humans as a meal. My job as a hunter is screaming at me to turn him to dust."

Rose made herself more comfortable and started to chat.

"Well, I arrived last night in town and because it was late I tried to find a hotel where I should stay during my travels. I booked a room at the hotel and I went down to take a late dinner. If I don't eat before bedtime I won't be able to get much sleep."

Zero wasn't interested in all the details about last night, but he did not want to interrupt her. "While I enjoyed my dinner I heard some young men talking about a red-haired beauty who studies at a nearby academy. I asked them about that girl and they were kind enough to lend me her address. I was so excited that I couldn't control myself not to go there."

The only nearby academy was St. Elisabeth and the only red-haired beauty, according to the male students was his prey-to-be. Did she want to see that arrogant pureblood? But she said that she hated vampires. It didn't make sense.

"On my way there I was approached by a man and he asked me if I was lost. I said no, but he insisted on accompanying me until I reached my destination. Suddenly I was attacked by that man. Honestly, I don't know how I escaped from his hands and found a rod to use to protect myself. I did not feel it when he inflicted that wound on my leg. And while I tried desperately to protect myself, you came up and that vampire ran away. And then I woke up here. That's all I know."

If he would have known that this woman would provide nothing useful he would have taken her to the hospital to begin with, and let her rant about vampires before she was taken to a mental institution. Her being into a mental institution doesn't sound like such a bad idea now that he thought about it.

"Thank you," he replied, and went out the door. He was just going to have to use his sharp senses to track down and kill that vampire.

* * *

><p>Yesterday, he had skipped school due to his guest's presence, but today he was ready to return and continue with his mission. What happened at their last encounter wasn't going to happen again. At least, that was what he was hoping for.<p>

He arrived at school earlier than usual. He wanted to search on the school grounds for any vampires who could treat the human lives. When he didn't find any, he returned to class and waited for his prey-to-be's arrival.

Anya hated to come late to school, but no matter how early she woke up, her morning rituals always took time and she was always late. If she was instead a human, she would have rushed inside the classroom in a hurry and yelled "safe". But she wasn't, so she entered with a smug expression on her face and paid attention to no one, not even to the teacher who was already in the classroom. She had a reputation to maintain, so, acting was a necessity.

The first person she saw in the classroom was her hunter-san. Yesterday, she hadn't seen him and she had been a little disappointed. Yesterday, she wanted to see how he was going to act around her after her previous conquering actions toward him. Her pleasure was delayed by a day and now she was going to test him.

When she looked at him, she was surprised to see his shocked expression, nothing from what she did two days ago should have been make him react like that. She was intrigued.

When Zero saw her slim body make its way in the classroom his mind was flooded with…that dream. The memory of that dream was still vivid in his mind. His mind could reproduce each inch of her curves and he was too shocked he could actually think like this about his prey-to-be. He gave himself a mental kick and turned his eyes away from her, at least during class time.

When lunch time came, Anya rose up from her seat and left. Zero's luck took an abrupt end, and he was forced to follow her and pray for her to not behave like she had only two days ago. But was luck on his side? No, it wasn't.

Anya entered an empty room, waiting for her hunter-san. Having no choice, Zero entered the room, as well.

"You're predictable, hunter-san. I knew you would follow me, despite my earlier actions. I am glad you act this way. If you didn't, then this would be boring." She couldn't stop herself from not revealing a vixen's smile. Only from that simple gesture, Zero knew that the woman in front of him had no intention of giving up on her twisted ideas.

"I must admit that you're different than other purebloods I've met during my life, but that doesn't mean you're not an arrogant one. And what happened last time won't happen again. I am strong enough to withstand your so-called charm." He wanted to sound confident on the surface, but on the inside…he wasn't as confident that he could resist her forever. The only way out was for her to leave, permanently.

Anya chuckled at his statement. She decided to test his will. How much could he resist her if she acted the same as she had two days ago? She approached him again and the same as in the past, she put her small hands on his chest and moved them up and down.

He wanted to pull away, but she stopped his movements. There was no way he was going to evade from her web. Her hands curled around his neck and she drew his head down, closer to hers. Their mouths were inches apart. Only a little closer and they would kiss. Zero froze at the thought.

"The moment I saw you, I knew I needed to have you, hunter-san. You will bring color to my life. From now on you will be _my hunter-san_."

He could feel her hot breath upon his lips while she was talking. When she finished talking the distance between them diminished and their lips touched. At first he was too petrified to answer, but later, after her soft lips touched his more, his male instincts took hold of his will and responded to the kiss.

The kiss would have turned in something more if they hadn't heard the bell ring for class. Zero was the first to leave the room, leaving behind an extremely pleased pureblood.

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><p><strong>Author note: <strong>You're free to share your thoughts. Constructive reviews are welcomed too.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author note: **Special thanks to **Dark Phyre **my beta reader.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter V<strong>

Things had been going well for Maria over the past few days. She found out where her dead-to-be boyfriend was and she had planned to fulfill her wish to make him suffer big time. But before that, she had a courtesy visit to attend.

Ever since the pureblood princess created the night class, Maria had become a close friend of hers. So, before leaving for rainy England, she decided to pay a visit to her to say goodbye. And this was the reason why she's sitting in Kuran's mansion's living room, waiting for her friend to bring the tea.

"Sorry to take so long, Maria-san."

"It's okay. But in your condition it would have been better if I would have helped you."

"Don't be silly, Maria-san. You're my guest, and besides, I am pregnant, not ill, and I am able to make tea and carry the tray here. But don't tell Kaname that I carried the tray. He's obsessed with me not carrying anything heavy." A small smile formed on her lips.

Since Kaname had returned to her side, she had decided to never let go of him. She remained glued to his side and when they had to separate for few hours, tears formed in her eyes and she posed the question "You won't leave me, will you?" And seeing her drowning into a sea of tears, he always had to come back earlier.

A five-hour job would take only two hours. He hurried back to his crying wife and now, his lovely wife had been pregnant for about six months. And ever since she became pregnant, he never left their home. He worked his council jobs from home.

"How's your married life?" Maria asked when Yuuki finally sat on the chair in front of her.

A fine trace of pink formed on Yuuki's cheeks. "Mhm…I guess that means it's pretty good?"

"Kaname is a wonderful husband. And since I became pregnant, he's never left me alone, except the moments when I have visitors such as yourself and we want to chat as girls."

"He's home?"

"Yes, he's in his study. He has some issues regarding the vampire council to solve. He took advantage of your visit to let us chat so he could solve those problems. Did you want to say hello to him? I can call him if you want."

"It's okay, that's not necessary. I saw him last time when I stopped by. Besides, I don't want to disturb him if he's working. I came to talk with my best friend, woman to woman."

"Mm…do you want to talk about Zero?"

She knew everything about her. The question didn't come as a surprise since they talked a lot about their men when they were alone. Maria listened to Yuuki talking with such adoration about Kaname that she wondered if she would have the same feelings for Zero. It didn't take long until Maria started to talk with passion about Zero.

But that was in the past. The only passion she could talk now would be her desire to kill Zero. Should she talk about this?

"Yuuki-chan, I am lonely! Zero-kun is on mission in some place far away from Japan. What's worse is that I don't know how long his mission will be."

"Oh…I am so sorry Maria-san. When Kaname is away from me, I feel lonely too, but I'm always able to survive because I know he will return to me. If I didn't have his love, I know that I wouldn't have survived. His love saved me. I understand perfectly how you feel. You're probably just so worried about him."

"Not really."

"Huh?"

"Don't get me wrong, Yuuki-chan! My situation is different from yours. When Kaname was away from you, you did not know where he was or what he was doing. I know where Zero is, and Chairman Cross assured me that Zero-kun is okay. It's just that have been so many days without him, and I miss him. Ever since we became a couple, we were never separated for this long."

"Since you know where he is, then why don't you go after him?"

Maria knew Yuuki would understand her. They're women's after all.

"You think is a good idea, to go after Zero-kun?" she acted so well, that Yuuki thought that her words were like a revelation to Maria. Little did she know that Maria was a good actress and she had hidden her actual intentions.

"Of course is okay for you to go after him. You love each other and nothing should stay in the way of your love. Not even his mission in another country."

"But Yuuki-chan, what if I'm only disturbing him? He never mixed his job with his personal life. I don't think he will be pleased with me. I think he might be upset if I went after him."

"Nonsense. You're in love with him and he has deep feelings for you, too. It's normal for a couple in love to be together. Zero is a strong hunter and you being there won't jeopardize his mission. Beside, you will be safe too. So, prepare your luggage and go after him. I am sure he misses you, too."

"You think he misses me?"

"Of course he misses you. You spent more than a year with him, and in that time you two developed a strong bond."

"Thank you Yuuki-chan! I knew that if I spoke with you, I would feel better and find a solution to my problem." Yuuki smiled kindly to her female friend. "Before I leave, can I see your baby's room?"

"Of course you can." And both of them went upstairs.

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><p>Rose had taken advantage of Zero's walk into town, and she went to visit the person she intended to see a few nights before. It was time for her to see the person who changed her entire life. She left early in the morning, and on her way to Anya's house, she thought about ways to confront her.<p>

Rose was aware of their situation. She was a mere human being, while her enemy was a pureblood vampire. Yes, she knew perfectly well about Anya's true nature. It took her ten years to find her and soon they were going to meet.

* * *

><p>Anya took her morning meal, and afterward, sent Walter into town to buy her some chocolate. From some unknown reason, she desired it. Soon after Walter's departure, she sensed a familiar presence. Even if it had been years since she had felt it, it wasn't a presence she could ever truly forget.<p>

The doorbell rang, and Anya went to open the door, even if it was something as disgraceful as picking up the trash for her. But she couldn't risk anyone else seeing Rose.

The moment the door cracked open both females were put face to face.

Rose had changed since the last time Anya saw her. At their first meeting, Rose had been a fifteen year old girl, her face features had held a childish look, as well her body. Now, after ten years her body had womanly curves and she looked like the woman she had clearly become.

For Rose, Anya was the same as she was ten years ago. The passing years did not affect her at all. It came as no surprise since she was a blood-sucking monster. For a moment she wondered if drinking the blood of humans helped Anya maintain her youth. Anything was possible in Rose's point of view.

The moment Rose saw Anya, she recalled memories about their first meeting.

_There had been a heavy storm that day. In the morning it had been a pleasant day, but around noon clouds had gathered in the sky and hours later a heavy rain started to pour. Lighting had struck people's houses and fires had erupted out of nowhere._

_She had been inside, locking all the windows when she heard the animals from the stable. For her entire childhood, she had lived around horses and by the sounds they made, she knew that something had not been right._

_She shut the windows and rushed to the stable in a hurry._

_The animals had been agitated; they were disturbed by something, but Rose had put their mood about the weather aside. She started to count the horses, and while she did so she noticed one of them had been missing._

_She had gone outside in that heavy storm and she had looked around. Eventually, she had seen the missing horse near the trees, entangled in tree branches. She had hurried to the place where the horse was when a strange sound took her by surprise. She had no time to react and she had found herself with a small tree branch piercing her chest. Blood flooded from her wound, and she had collapsed on the wet ground._

_Her sight and her breathing had been hazy. She had no experience in medicine, but judging from her stab wound, she had suspected that one of her lungs had been punctured._

_She remembered fighting for air. With a hoarse voice, she tried to yell for help. And when she thought that all her effort were futile, she had heard approaching steps. A soft smile escaped her lips, as she knew those steps could only belong to her husband-to-be. Only he would come here at a time like this; he was worried for her safety._

_But she had been wrong. Those steps did not belong to her beloved one, but to a woman, a woman with a hood._

_With her hazy eyes, she could she had seen the person standing beside her. That woman was so beautiful that she knew it would have been impossible for someone like her to pass unnoticed by a man or a woman._

_"Are you dying little one? Do you want my help?"_

_Rose lift up her hand, a way to ask for help since her voice had failed her at that moment._

_"I guess you're in need of help, but I never do things for free. If you want to live, you must give me your man."_

_She remembered wondering if she had heard the question correctly? The strange, beautiful woman would save her if she agreed to give up Walter. "Never, never! I prefer to die than let him go! Did you do this to me?" she yelled, but her words were lifeless. Suddenly, sleep surrounded her and she fell unconscious._

_When she had woken up, she had found herself being lifted off the floor by Walter. She wanted to talk to him, but her words were stuck into her throat._

_A few minutes later she fall unconscious again and when she woke up she was in a hospital room, alone. She did not know why at that moment but she felt as though someone was missing._

"Welcome to my house, Rose." Anya was the first one who spoke, bringing Rose to reality. She thought if she hadn't done so, they wouldn't have started a conversation within the hour, and they wouldn't reach the goal of their conversation either. So she had to break the ice.

"Whatever" she replied and invited herself into Anya's house.

For ten years, Rose had searched for the monster that had changed her life, and now she was sitting face to face with that monster in her living room. Fate was really a strange fortune.

"You know why I am here, don't you?" Rose did not want to beat around the bush, she went straight to the subject.

"Hmm…I can guess."

"Exactly, I am here for Walter. You took him away from me ten years ago. I am here to get my man back." Rose had always been a determined person. She could have given up clothes, books, or even a good life style, but love was not one of those things. For her love, she would fight even with a blood-sucking monster. No one would keep her love away from her.

Even if it took years to find her man, she still came here to challenge the monster to battle. She was going to protect her love with her teeth, with her nails, with everything she had. If the vampire wanted a war, a war she was going to get.

"Oh my, you still have feelings for him, even after all these years? I thought that you would have gotten married and had a few children by now. Besides, you should be polite to the person who saved your life."

"What?"

"Yes, if it weren't for me, you would be six feet underground right now."

"Don't be so full of yourself, vampire. I have nothing to thank you for. You took Walter away from me. Do you think my love was sugar and honey in all those years? For years I searched for what belongs to me, and I will get him back. My life is filled with sorrow without his love."

"Then fall in love again with another man. The problem would be easily solved that way."

"Are you a fool or just pretending to be one? Walter is my soul mate, I cannot live without him, and I cannot fall for another man. But I guess you never loved anyone before. If you had, you wouldn't have separated us because you would have known the pain."

Anya knew exactly what Rose was talking about. But because she liked to play with humans she was always seen as a monster. But couldn't she see that she was looking for love and at the same time, she wanted to escape from it? Did she think it was so easy for a pureblood who lived for an eternity to find love?

Anya hated humans, and envied them at the same time. Humans had a short life, but they could find love faster and they took full advantage of their short life spam. While she, a pureblood vampire remained without love. Her society was invaded by vampires she didn't even like.

She couldn't afford falling in love with a vampire lower than her, since he would live shorter than her. If she fell deeply in love and ever truly found her soul mate, she knew her entire world would end.

Her life was filled with misery, so she took her revenge on humans, and turned them in something like her, a vampire, a being which could not love.

"I even think that you're the one who wounded me that night. It was you, wasn't it? I heard that vampires have special powers, so I guess it was you who wounded me."

Hearing her words, Anya's thoughts flew into the past.

_She had seen Walter while she had been taking a walk in the streets. She had been bored and she had hoped to find a good coffee shop and waste her time there._

_When he passed by her she instantly noticed him. She had spent a week in town and knew every man that lived there, but it was for the first time when she saw him. He had a different aura, and she remembered being strongly attracted to it._

_She wanted to find more information about him. She used her abilities on humans, and to her displeasure she found out that he had been engaged to a lovely young lady. This was how people described Rose._

_The next day she saw them in the town holding hands. She could grasp a part of their conversation, they talked about their upcoming wedding. She couldn't stand this when she heard it. That man attracted her and she remembered believing that she was prepared do whatever it took to have him._

_When Anya left to pay a visit to the young girl the storm had not started just yet, but when she got there, the horrid storm had already begun along its course. If she would have been a mere human girl, she would have yelled and asked for shelter. But she wasn't. She was a vampire among vampires, a pureblood, and some lighting and thunder didn't scare her._

_Anya saw the horses in the stable, and as she had expected, they became aware of her presence and became agitated. One of them escaped and ran away to the trees nearby and remained stuck in a branch under a strap from a saddle that hadn't been removed yet._

_She heard a door and some steps and she could see the young girl coming outside to check on the horses. Anya saw Rose heading towards the missing horse. Like Rose, she heard a noise and later she saw the small tree branch which stabbed her._

_Should she listen to her pleas or not? Should she save her or not? Suddenly, she felt another human presence, it was him – her fiancée. And in that second she made her decision – she would give her time and if she will refused to hand him to her, then she would make him obey._

_She used her healing powers on the girl, enough for her to survive until she reached the nearest hospital. Rose had to be alive if she wanted Walter._

"Nonsense." Anya replied. "I had no intervention in that matter. But if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been alive when he found you. You can deny it all you want, but you're alive because of me."

"I will repeat again and for the last time…I am not indebted to you."

"But I wonder if you remembering Walter despite me erasing your memories about him is due to love." Anya wore a puzzled expression on her face. She really was curious if deep feelings for someone could cancel the effect of "erased memories."

So, her memories were had been erased. When she woke up on that hospital bed, she wondered what had been missing. She had a lot of visitors, but none of them talked about Walter. Two years later, when she remembered him and asked some of her friends they said that they did not say anything because they thought she had been in shock after his death. And wanting to protect herself, her mind erased any trace of him. They even helped in taking away Walter's belongings.

But all her memories flooded back in a single day, as did the memory of how she lost him. While she looked outside and saw trees on the ground she remembered her own drama – the beautiful woman who said she wanted her fiancée, and she saw her fiancée too, how he carried her to the hospital and on the road, he encouraged her to hang on to her life, for him.

"A woman will never forget her first and only love. It's something only humans are able to do," she mocked. "I cannot say the same for you. Give me my man back! If I need to fight with you I will do it!"

Anya was bored already. All this girl could say was "my man". Didn't she know that Walter didn't belong to her anymore? Walter had one master, and the name of his master was Anya Cold, not Rose.

And what did she meant to say that she would fight with her? Did she really believe that she, Anya Cold, a pureblood, was going to waste her time fighting with another woman for a man? That would be a disgrace for her, not to say an immature act of stupidity.

Moreover, Rose had a huge problem.

"Oh my Rose, I am afraid that Walter does not belong to you anymore."

"What do you mean by that? He came with you because you threatened him, not because he loves you."

"True, he came with me due to some weird circumstances, but since I sank my fangs into his throat he became my slave."

"What?"

"He's not a human anymore, he's a vampire. Moreover, I am his master, and a slave will listen only his master's words. If you told him to come to your side and I told him the same thing, he would listen my words since mine are stronger and he cannot disobey a command from me, his master."

"I don't believe you. You're lying to me."

"Whether you believe my words or not does not concern me. Suit yourself. You can see Walter anytime you want to convince yourself. Now, if you will excuse me, it's time for you to retreat. You know where the door is."

* * *

><p>He needed space to reflect on his doings. His mission here had to be simple – find his target and kill it, when he had the evidence to do so. But in the past few days, his life had been an utter mess.<p>

At first, he ran away from that fragile vampire because he was afraid of commitment, but Maria would never know this, and now he was stuck with a pureblood vampire. Probably, this was the price he had to pay for being a cruel criminal in his past life.

Everything started when that woman made advances toward him. First he had been strong enough to resist her, but later she showed up in his dreams, and they were doing…naughty things. Having sex with another woman in his dreams was cheating, was it not?

No, of course not. He couldn't control his dreams, but what happened after…is that cheating?

He had responded to her kiss; of course that was cheating. He had cheated Maria. He had come here to think about his relationship with her, and he ended up kissing another one. And it just so happened to be his target-to-be no less. Maria was small, but she was going to be furious if she found out what had happened between Zero and the putrid pureblood. It was better for him to avoid infuriating her further. She was already mad at him because he had left without saying goodbye. God, he was doomed if she found out. He promised himself that he would never kiss that pureblood again, and going further than a kiss, like in his dream certainly wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't allow it to go that far. It wasn't going to happen again…it wasn't…

While he was absorbed in his thoughts, Zero had a familiar sensation – he sensed a vampire. He put his thoughts aside and, following his instincts, he went after the scent.

It led him to a coffee shop nearby. He screened the place with his eyes and spotted the vampire. To his surprise, it was the same vampire who had attacked Rose. It was crowded, in daylight – he couldn't take out his gun and shoot that bastard. Zero had to wait for that vampire to be alone with him. But his primary problem was how to make him go into a secluded place.

His target left the coffee shop twenty minutes later. The moment he went out the door, Zero was behind him.

"Don't move, and don't make a scene. We two need to have a talk." The vampire could feel something pressing into his back.

"I remember you. You're the guy who stopped me the other night. Are you a hunter?"

"Yes, I am. Bastards like you who attack humans are killed by the likes of me. Don't you know that vampires who attack humans are put onto a hunted list and eventually killed by hunters? Maybe in the past vampires were free to hunt anytime, anywhere and anyone, but now-a-days it's prohibited. Sorry to break the bad news to you so suddenly."

They walked for minutes in silence. With his eyes, Zero tried to find isolated places where he could finish off his target. While Zero made his own plans, the target did as well. With his eyes, he looked for crowded places where he could accomplish his plans.

Suddenly, he saw a gathering few feet away, and he went into that direction. It was bad for Zero. People bumped into each other, and if he wasn't careful, he would lose him.

Why did Zero have to be an attractive guy? A girl bumped into him and wanted to shout at him to look where he was walking, but when she saw into whom she had bumped into, she wanted to know more about him.

And she wasn't the only girl who spotted him. Few seconds later he was surrounded by six girls and all of them wanted his number. He cursed his good looks. Because of it he had lost his prey. When he was able to release himself from those fanatic girls, his target was nowhere to be found.

* * *

><p>Rose couldn't believe that that hateful vampire turned her back and left like she was nobody. She wanted to shout and curse at her but decided to not give into her satisfaction – she decided to leave.<p>

But when she opened the door, she saw him – her fiancée. She couldn't control her emotions when she saw him, she ran, directly into his arms.

"Walter…I finally found you."

Walter recognized her - she was the woman who haunted his dreams. Vaguely, he remembered his attachment for the girl that was now in his arms. But this didn't matter anymore; now he lived for someone else. Another woman was the master of his heart.

"Miss, would you be so kind as to detach your arms from my body?" Rose was surprised by his words. His words were cold, like she was a stranger to him. What happened the love he had for her?

"Walter, it's me, Rose. Your fiancée." Walter removed her arms from him.

"I know who you are, Miss. But what is in the past belongs to the past. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go inside. Be careful on your way back, Miss." Walter passed by her. Rose couldn't let him go like that. He was her soul mate, she wouldn't let him go.

"Walter! I am Rose…your fiancée. I am the woman you proposed and vowed to spend the rest of your life with me. You were taken away from me ten years ago, but I won't accept that."

"You won't accept what, Miss?"

"I won't accept to be away from you. Are you listening to me? I won't accept it. And if I need to fight with that witch from inside then I will do it. No one will take you away from me."

He was taken aback by her words. He could see determination in her eyes, it was like a fire ignited inside her with no chance to be extinguish.

"Walter?" he heard the voice of his master. "Come Walter, come to my side." His master ordered.

On the other side Rose called Walter too. "Walter, leave that woman's side and come again to me. We are betrothed. Come by my side!"

He looked at both, but in the end he made his choice. Anya had been right. Her words were stronger – Walter came faithfully to her side, leaving behind a crying girl, screaming his name like an echo in the distance.

* * *

><p><strong>Author note: <strong>Some explanation about Rose wound: she was badly hurt by that branch tree, but Anya gave her medical assistance before Walter finding her. Thanks to Anya, she was able to make it till the hospital.


	6. Chapter 6

******Author note: **Special thanks to **Dark Phyre**, my beta reader.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter VI<strong>

He had to go to her and tell her loud and clear that the only interaction between them was going to be when he pulled the trigger of his gun to her forehead. If he didn't want to be called a cheater anymore he had to do this.

"Filth, our lips will never touch again." Usually, men only talked to themselves when planning and repeating a marriage proposal, but our hunter spoke to himself for a rejection.

"_People repeat for break-ups too, not only proposals. I, standing in front of the mirror, fouling myself, it's not uncommon for men. A lot of men think on how to break up with their girlfriends."_

"_But she's not your girlfriend. She's your target-to-be."_

"_I know who she is. I just need to be gentle."_

"_You call her filth. Trust me, you're not gentle. I might say that you will be rude. Even desire to be."_

"_I need to be tough, too. She will crush me if I am soft."_

"_Yeah, you're right. She will eat you alive. Your soft side is what got you into this predicament in the first place. End this embarrassing situation you're in, and let the only woman in your life be Maria.__"_

"_Ah…Maria. She's probably already mad that I left her alone. She would kill me if she knew."_

"_I think any woman would kill you. You're lucky that she's not here. You would have been a dead man otherwise."_

"_Today, I will end everything. Trust me, I will."_

And like that, the silver-haired hunter went out the door to finish a relationship he had never started.

"What are you doing here?" asked Walter. "My lady is resting. Leave! You will have to see her on another day."

It took a lot of courage and a lot of preparation for Zero to come to her house and end everything – their relationship, not her life. And her slave wasn't going to stand in his way.

"I need to see her, and you will not stop me."

Zero passed by Walter, and used his sharp nose to find her in her room.

Anya sensed him when he was at the gate to her home. She could sense a strange aura coming from around him. Usually, around her, he was certain in his actions, but now she sensed he was anxious, hesitant. And she wanted to know why these feelings were coming from him.

Zero did not knock. He swung the door open and saw, lying on the bed, the reason of his inner problems.

"Hunter-san, what a pleasant surprise!" She jumped off the bed, directly into his arms. With that hug, she had instantly made things worse for him. He felt nothing for her…yeah nothing…but she was so happy when she saw him, and he had come here to be a bad boy.

He really was a notorious criminal in his past life, and now he was going to pay for it.

He really had to take this little girl from his arms and put her into misery. He removed her arms from his body – he had to keep to his original plan.

"We need to talk about what happened these past few days between us." She had really wondered when he was going to bring up this subject.

"And what about that?"

"Listen, what happened was a mistake. I had no intention of making you my mistress."

"Mistress? Do you have a lover already, hunter-san?" She didn't like to be called 'mistress'. She had no intention of being his _second_ woman. She had no wish to share her man with another woman.

"Who is she? She's from Japan? Will you return to her even if you enjoyed my touch?" Anya wanted to know everything about his 'first' woman. She wished to have her in front of her eyes so that she could tear her apart, limb by limb.

"She's not your concern. Besides, I cannot throw away the time I've spent with her. I grew up fond of her in this time. Moreover, we have an unbreakable bond."

"Unbreakable bond? What ties you to her?"

"That's not your concern. I came to tell you to stop your games. What happened before between us it won't repeat. Ever."

He would have stormed out the door if her grip hadn't stopped him.

"I don't…I don't play games with you. I really like you, and you will be mine."

"Stop your nonsense. I belong to my fragile noble vampire lover, not to you."

"_So my rival is a noble vampire…do you think I will let her take you away from me?"_Anya thought devilishly_._

"Then prove it."

"Huh?"

"Kiss me, and if you don't feel anything, then I will let you go."

It was going to be easy. All he needed to do was to press his lips upon her rosy, soft lips and, because he felt nothing for her, he was going to storm out the door and out of her mansion as well. It was going to be very easy. And then he would find his chance and kill her without a second thought.

Her hands cupped his face. They stayed like that for a while before she later went around his neck and bent his head toward her mouth. Their lips pressed softly against each other, but soon, he was overwhelmed by her touch, and he allowed her to take the lead – his reasoning went out the window.

Anya knew he would be weak when they entwined their lips – he was a man after all. She deepened the kiss, her pink tongue passing through his lips and stroking his gently. The moment he responded to her action she knew they weren't going to stop.

A moan escaped her lips and Zero's mouth was there to swallow it. Her fingers locked into his hair while his hands roamed over her back. Through the silk fabric of her dress he kneaded his hands against her flesh, and he could feel her hot skin.

How he found himself hovering upon her body on the soft mattress of her bed he did not know. His hands were wondering over her flesh and he liked it, he couldn't stop anymore – he needed to have her.

Their tongues battled for dominance, their hands discovered each other's body. Sounds of ripping clothes and moans filled the room. She was beneath him, completely naked, and writhing in pleasure at his ministrations.

His mouth left her lips. Licking and kissing he trailed wet traces on her neck and lower to the valley of her breasts. His eyes discovered her two mounds, and how they rose and fell with each of her breaths.

Her tantalizing mounds called out for him to touch them. The mouth which enjoyed kissing her lips and her tender flesh closed over one of her breasts. Anya moaned loudly at his actions, her back arched, thrusting her chest into his mouth.

Her small hands wandered over his chest muscles back and forth. His mouth and his tongue were busy paying attention to her chest while his hands caressed the tender flesh of her thighs. His hands kneaded her inner thighs and soon found her feminine spot.

With the thumb of his finger, gently he touched her core. She thrust her hips into his finger begging for more. He barely touched her but he could feel her juices over his finger. His senses were filled with the scent of her arousal – it drove him crazy.

With a fast fluid motion, his finger thrust inside her cavern. A loud mewl escaped her lips. Zero started to move his finger in and out her. His motions were accompanied by her erotic sounds. Desire and lust took over. Another finger joined the first, and the pace increased. Her hips moved in the same rhythm with his finger; his only desire was to make her scream his name while his hands brought her pleasure.

Zero could feel his arousal twitching, wanting to be inside of the woman beneath him. But it wasn't the right moment for the utmost pleasure. First he would make her reach her peaks while he would work on her body with his hands. After, her body would be sensitized, and after her first climax, he would claim her as his own.

With his fingers he touched spots she never thought could be touched. A strange sensation formed in her lower abdomen. She could feel her inner walls stretching around his fingers, and she knew she was close.

The moment he dreamed of was near. Zero increased the pace of his thrusting fingers and soon he felt her juices washing over his fingers. The sounds that escaped her lips while she came were engulfed by his mouth.

Anya needed air to breath after her first peak, but this was not granted to her. His mouth pressed over hers stole any source of oxygen. When she thought she wouldn't be able to breathe, her body was invaded by Zero again.

Without warning, the way he had wanted, he impaled his shaft into her wet entrance, claiming her as his. A painful scream left her mouth while her nails dug into the flesh of his back and her sharp fangs pierced his neck skin, sucking the nectar of his life. A new blood essence filled her being.

He let her adjust to him a moment and when he felt her body relax, he moved slowly.

Lower grunts left his lips while he moved in and out of her. Her legs curled around his hips deepening his slowly thrusts. She was tight around his shaft, her inner walls stretching him to no end.

"Zero, faster…harder."

Those words were all he needed it to delve into her core with more strength and speed. Her erotic music filled his ears while he drove in and out with an amazing speed. His cock hit hidden spots inside of her, and as she had expected, a wave of warm filled her body and her release came.

Her inner walls were tighter around his shaft, her fluids milked his cock. His teeth grazed her silk neck skin and he bit her viciously. He thrust into her a few more times and he had his release. His fluids mixed with hers while he submerged himself in big gulps of her life essence.

Zero's form crashed beside her and his arms went around her petite body. Their love making tired her and in matter of seconds her eyes closed, falling to a deep sleep but not before feeling his hot lips upon her forehead or her ears catching his words.

"Sweet dreams!"

* * *

><p>Finally her plane landed in the wonderful and raining UK. She sighed. So much humidity was going to ruin her hair. If she had been a human she would have preferred the sunny Hawaii, but since she was a vampire, and a fragile one no less, she was thankful that the sun was not too strong.<p>

She called a cab and went directly to her hunter's residence. Since she found out where he was hiding, she never bothered to call. This visit in UK was her surprise to him. The ride was an hour long and she was thankful when she stepped out of the car.

During her ride to her hunter's, residence she admired the city. She saw some interesting places and made a mental note to visit them during her stay.

A servant opened the door for her.

"Good evening! I am Kurenai Maria and I came to visit Zero-kun." The male servant was surprised by her boldness. He sensed that she was a vampire and was surprised to see that she was not afraid of the place she stepped into – a hunter's residence.

"Kiryu-san is not home yet. I don't know when he will return."

"Then I will wait for him. I am not in a hurry. Meanwhile, you should prepare my room. Please take my luggage to my room. And send someone to bring me a hot tea. It's chilly outside and I am not used to this kind of weather. I don't want to catch a cold. I am fragile after all."

She was already behaving like the lady of the house. The male servant wanted to protest, 'who does she think she is to be so bossy? Kiryu-san won't be pleased with her', but he said nothing. Instead he complied with her demands.

"Ano Mister Pierson, what's happening?" Rose asked. "I heard the servants talking about a vampire visitor."

"She came an hour ago and she demand to see Mister Kiryu. Moreover, she intent to live here, she's very bossy."

"A vampire girl? But what does she want with Mister Kiryu?"

"I don't know. But until Mister Kiryu returns, we will please our visitor. He might be mad if we don't treat her well."

Maybe the servants had to be careful with this new guest, but she didn't. Rose was going to find out everything about this vampire girl.

When Rose entered in the living room she expected to see another arrogant vampire, the same as the one who ruined her life. But it wasn't like this – the vampire girl seemed fragile, like she would break if she wasn't tightly kept in strong arms, and her gaze was soft. Into a single word, she was like a doll.

Rose found herself curious, and she went to talk with the vampire guest.

"Good evening!" she saluted the guest. "My name is Rose, and you are?" There was a pregnant pause until Maria answered. Maria was curious as to who the girl was. She knew she couldn't be one of the servants.

"Good evening! My name is Kurenai Maria, and I am Zero-kun's lover. Can you tell me who you are, besides your name?"

From some unknown reasons, Rose could feel the cold within Maria's voice. For a moment she thought the new guest was just the same as all other vampires.

"I am a guest, too. I was attacked by a strange creature few nights ago. I was saved by Mister Kiryu and he brought me here."

"Aha…I understand. It's just like Zero-kun to save poor human girls." The same icy feeling in her voice, Rose realized. She realized she was colder when Maria pronounced Zero's name. Mentally, Rose wondered if she was really his lover, and not a cold, brutal vampire who had come only to hurt Zero. It certainly sounded like it to her.

"You said you're Zero's lover…"

"Yes, and…" Rose was promptly interrupted by Maria.

"You don't seem like one. You're distant and cold."

"That's not your business. That's a matter between Zero-kun and I. By the way, where is he?"

"Maybe he's still at school or maybe he's in town looking for that vampire."

"What vampire?"

"The one who tried to kill me. I thought I told you about it a few moments ago."

"You did, but this doesn't mean I care for you. I will wait for him, and if you don't mind I wish to be alone."

Maria left the living room and headed to the first floor, where his room was. She wanted to make him a surprise out of hell.

Maria did not want to be so cruel when she spoke with the poor girl, but she was enraged. Zero ditched her, letting her wait in that place for so long. He paid no attention to her feelings. He was a cruel bastard and she, Maria Kurenai, was going to make him pay for it.

Maria opened the door of his room, her eyes inspected the place where he was staying, and decided to rest on his bed. She closed her eyes and imagined all the things she was going to do to him when she put her hands on him.

Revenge was so sweet!

* * *

><p>He woke up with her arms curled around his waist. She was sleeping soundless. His mind replayed the earlier events. A huge wave of guilt surrounded him. He betrayed Maria. He wanted to burn in Hell.<p>

Without her 'partner in crime' to notice him, he untangled himself from her embrace and left the bed. He dressed himself quickly and left her room and her house. On his way to the exit he saw Walter throw him a disapproving look.

He wanted to arrive home quickly, he wanted to retreat into his room and have a good think about his life. He needed it.

Because he was too immersed in his thoughts, he avoid the servants who had wanted to tell him about the guest, and he did not notice her sweet scent as well – which became stronger as he got closer and closer to his bedroom.

He opened the door and closed it, and when his eyes fell on the bed, he thought he was going to have a stroke. She, Maria, the woman he wouldn't have expected to see in a million years there… was there…in his room…on his bed. Whoever had said that God would punish you if caused harm was so right.

Maria felt asleep while she was waiting. Sound of steps and a door closing woke her up. When she lifted her gaze she met his shocked ones.

He was standing there like a deer caught in headlights, saying nothing…he was annoying her. He could at least say something, but no, he was mute. It was like a replay of the past – he was like this too when she proposed to him.

"Hi Zero-kun! Did you miss me?" She lifted up her body from the bed and her fragile hands took a chair and threw it to his direction. "I know I missed you. You don't have a single idea how much I wanted to see you, to have you in front of my eyes and kill you. You _bastard_!"

She found another chair and threw it at him as well. When she exhausted all the chairs in her reach, she started to throw other things as well. She was so furious that he couldn't say a word. If he tried, he was not sure she would hear them. Or was willing to listen.

"I trusted you. I gave you my heart and you trampled on it. Did you really think you could get away with something like that?" The commotion Maria caused was enough for the servants to come and see what was going on.

All they could hear were the yells of an angry woman and the sound of something breaking. They wanted to come inside and stop the angry female vampire but Zero's voice stopped them in their tracks. They understood it as a matter between lovers…they had no right to intervene.

"Not only did you leave me there like an idiot, but you never said goodbye or even called. I was waiting for your phone call, but why would a jerk call the lover he ditched? Of course he has no reason; he _is_ a jerk after all."

"Maria, you see…"

"I see what? If you were a man you could have said 'no' or you could have asked for some time to think. But you weren't a man. You were a jerk who left with no word. Have you any idea how I felt?" Tears threatened to come out. "At first I thought something had happened to you, and you were hurt somewhere. I was so worried about you." The tears she had tried to hold in fell over her cheeks. "But you weren't wounded. You were fine. Just on some stupid mission in Japan."

When her tears fell over her cheeks, Zero felt an immense desire to hold her in his arms and relieve her pain. He did so – his arms closed around her petite body – and it was a big mistake on his part.

The moment her face was pressed against his chest an unfamiliar scent captivated her attention. It was a sweet scent, like vanilla; it was a _woman's_ scent. Paying more attention to the scent, Maria noticed how strong it was. His clothes and his body were covered in that scent. Her mind went blank for a second and later she saw red.

"Zero, why is a female scent coming out from all your pores?"

This was what he had feared. She just sniffed him and she already knew. How could he explain it to her?

"Zero, were you with another woman?" He couldn't say a word. However, his guilty face gave her the answer.

She slapped him hard. Traces of her finger were imprinted on his right cheek.

"You low life. How dare you run away from me and came here to bed another? Have you no shame? Who is she? Who is the woman who made you act like this? I had a better impression of you, but you proved to be a man who cheats on his lover with any woman that catches his eye. The time we spent together had no value to you? How could you do something so low?" And she slapped him again.

"Maria, I…" What chould he say? Should he say he bed the woman he had to supervise? Would she understand? "Maria, it wasn't something I could predict. It just happened so fast. It's not what you think anyway."

"Such a cliché. A woman caught her man in bed with another and all he can say is 'is not what you think'. And what do you want me to believe? You cheated on me with some stranger. What do you want me to 'think'?" She slapped him again.

"Maria, I am sorry! I'm really so sorry!"

She was mad and she was hurt. She couldn't stand to be around him anymore. She had to leave that room. She needed space and time to think.

"I would go to my room. Do not show your face before me." She passed by him and left his room. She locked the door of her room and fell to the ground. Not even in her worse nightmares did she think she would discover something like this. Maria cried all night.

* * *

><p><strong>Author note: <strong>This story is a love triangle, and poor Zero-kun started to have some sort of feelings for his target-to-be, but he's unaware of it. The next two chapters would be kind of sad, since we have a noble vampire who suffer.


	7. Chapter 7

******Author Note: **Chapter edited / revised by **Dark Phyre.**

****Constructive reviews are welcomed - it would help me improve my writing - however be nice. If you have questions related to this story you're free to ask - however do not ask for spoilers because you won't get it. Sorry, I am in "mean mode" these days.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or its characters**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VII<strong>

After many solitary days of staying in her room without allowing another presence around her, especially Zero's, Maria decided to set her sorrow aside and investigate Zero's private life. In those lonely days she had been locked in her room, her thoughts flied only about the woman who made Zero, her lover, act like a womanizer. She was curious about any woman who was able to cause Zero to toss aside any trace of good will.

Her mind wondered where he could have met her, and her mind provided the most plausible answer: St. Elisabeth Academy. She called her father and put her plan into action.

When she stepped out of the room she said no word to the hunter who was at her door. He stayed there for hours, day after day, begging for forgiveness. Not even once had she answered him.

He had wanted to touch her and apologize again, but her gaze, which once was soft and filled with love for him was now empty, void of any emotions. He closed his mouth and his gaze left her – he was too ashamed to utter even a few apologetic words.

A few days later, Maria received the package she had been waiting for, and the next day she found out who was the cause of her miserable life.

* * *

><p>St. Elisabeth Academy wasn't too different from Cross Academy. The students were all rich children with promising futures. The common uniform was black – a knee dress and a white shirt for the girls. At first glance, everything seemed normal.<p>

When she stepped inside, Academy students' eyes glared at her. It wasn't an unfamiliar sensation – at Cross Academy, the same thing had happened. No matter where they were, humans reacted the same way when a vampire was around. They couldn't stop themselves from feeling attracted to them, in more ways than one.

Luck, or better say the strings she pulled, made her in the same class with Zero. His eyes were filled with shock when he saw her fragile form entering from under the doorframe. He had wanted to talk with her, but she avoided him – she had no intention of talking with him, and even less in forgiving him.

She stayed in her seat, fighting with her herself not to glance at Zero. She needed a distraction and she found it pretty quickly when her ears perked up. She heard some boys talking about a mysterious woman with a huge success when it came to men.

Her body trembled, and somehow she knew they were talking about the woman who stole Zero's reasoning. Her heart beat faster in her desire to see who this woman was.

The door opened and Maria knew— it was _her_. From the aura she radiated, Maria could tell she was no ordinary vampire - she knew her rival was a pureblood, and a beautiful one at that. Her newfound rival seemed to be the only one who broke the school etiquette, the one who refused the wear a uniform.

Maria's eyes watched her closely and saw how her rival's eyes lightened when her gaze stopped upon something…someone. Maria followed her gaze, and her eyes stopped upon Zero's form. Maria didn't need words to confirm her suspicions – her sweet look and his guilty one was enough to know she was the one.

Maria was enraged. She knew better than anyone Zero's hatred towards purebloods, and he was the one who had fallen into the trap of one. She needed a lot of force to keep her calm and not make a public scene.

* * *

><p>When the bell rang the end of the first period, Anya left the room. Zero did not follow her, but Maria was the one who did. She needed to have a confrontation with the pureblood who twisted her life.<p>

When Anya dashed out the classroom she wanted her hunter to follow her, but instead she found herself faced with a small female vampire. All the nobles she had met showed her obedience, but the one she was in front of her showed her only defiance, disgust.

"You should show respect to the ones who are higher than you." Anya was bothered by this vampire's lack of respect. She wanted her to know her place in society.

"Why should I? The only purebloods I show respect to are the Kuran's – the royal family of vampires - and the Hio's whom I am related to. To you, I will never show respect." Anya could feel the anger in her voice. "Besides, why should I respect the pureblood who bedded my lover?"

The moment those words left Maria's mouth Anya understood from where her hatred was coming from.

_So, she is the noble vampire who's his girlfriend_, she thought slyly. _And apparently she knows what happened between me and her man_. Hmm…she seems fragile, the kind of woman a man would want to protect from any kind of danger.

"So, you're the famous lover of my hunter-san…I wondered what you would look like, what he fancied you for. Well, I know now."

Maria heard her speaking and in her words there were no traces of any signs of regret or shame for what she did. Moreover, she knew Zero had someone else, but she did not care.

Maria didn't know how it happened, but her body seemed to move by itself and her ears caught a strange sound – she had just slapped the female vampire who felt no shame for her actions.

It was for the first time when Anya's cheek had been hit – she was enraged.

"Do you have no shame?" Maria spat furiously. "You're a disgrace to our race! You pay respect for nothing. You want only to destroy others. And you even enjoy it! You're the perfect example of why your presence in this world is a mistake." Maria turned on her heels and left behind an enraged vampire.

_She should pray to not meet with me, ever again_, Anya thought cruelly. _Or else I will rip her apart, and I won't care about the consequences._

When Anya left the classroom, he knew she wanted him to follow her, but how could he? Zero saw Maria leaving the classroom as well. He hoped she didn't go after Anya – he still hoped Maria wouldn't be able to figure out who the woman he had cheated on her with was. That could only lead to disaster.

He was in the hallways absentmindedly staring out the window when his eyes caught Maria. She left the Academy's grounds, not stopping to look back. He wanted to look after her, but when he turned around, Walter was behind him, requesting a conversation with him.

They looked for an empty room where no one could hear their talk. The one who broke the silence was Anya's faithful servant.

"Due to your misconduct, your girlfriend had been violent with my lady." Zero was shocked. His fragile Maria had showed violent behavior?

"I can put her behavior aside, knowing what happened beyond your lady's chamber doors."

"I do not care about your girlfriend's mental state, but I do care about my lady's. My lady, being the mistress of a former human is shameful – she deserves more than you. Moreover, it is shameful for my lady to be hit by a lower rank vampire. I would like to ask you to stop your relationship with my lady. You're not fit for her."

"I didn't think Maria would know who the woman I was unfaithful with is, and I did not expect her to have violent behavior. She is a docile vampire. Everything is my fault."

"I know it's your fault. Home, you had had a woman already, and here you decided to put your hands on another one. The first one finding about the second was a matter of time. And I do not approve of you for my lady. Moreover, I do know about your mission here. You have come here to hunt my lady down. Around you she is in constant danger. Cease your presence around my lady."

"My mission…"

"If I feel for a moment that my lady's life is in danger, I will kill you. And trust me, I will. Consider yourself warned." Walter turned on his heels and headed to the door. Before opening the door he spoke again to Zero.

"You should pay more attention to the female vampire who just left this academy. She's the only victim here." And then he was gone.

* * *

><p>Zero stayed in that room for mere minutes, thinking at what happened in the past couple days: he gave in to his target's charms, his lover found out about him being unfaithful, and his lover confronted his new mistress. A frail vampire was now suffering, because of <em>him<em>.

Hell, his life had been simple before this damned mission. He cursed the day he accepted the mission, he cursed Cross Kaien for proposing it in the first place.

Zero stormed out the room and went to look for the mad, red-haired vampire. Her body had been put through physical violence – she would be pissed.

He found her in the room where everything started – the room where she made her advances on him. Her eyes were red, ready to shatter everything around her.

"We need to talk." He said to the angry vampire. "I heard you had an encounter with Maria and I know what she did to you."

Hearing his words, she recalled memories of the event. She could still feel the pain on her cheek. The windows cracked from her fury.

"I will kill her. This has been the first time when someone dared to defy me like that. She dared to raise her hand to me. She's already dead."

"No, she's not. I will never allow you to hurt Maria. Do this and I will kill _you_."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing from him. They shared passionate, hot love-making, and he dared to show concern for the other, but not for her who had been physically abused.

"We shared the same bed. Hell, you felt _great_ when you were with me, and all you care about is _her_?"

"Don't play the victim here. If there is a victim here, it's Maria, not you. If you hadn't tried to seduce me I wouldn't have ever slept with you, and Maria wouldn't be in this predicament. She's the only victim here."

He talked as if he was blaming her for everything.

"Hunter-san, you're guilty, just the same as I am. Yes, I seduced you, but you were the one who gave in to you manly senses. I did not force myself on you. You took me of your own free will. If you felt nothing for me, my seduction wouldn't have worked on you. You were attracted to me too; this works both ways."

She was right. He felt attracted to her. Maybe because she was so different than other purebloods he had met. But he wasn't sure if that attraction was love. He heard somewhere that men felt attracted to women that they had no feelings of love for.

"I know I am guilty, too. It was a mistake, letting trivial things cloud my judgment. I have betrayed the person who was on my side when I need her the most. When I felt like I was sinking, she was always there to pull me to the surface, and bring light into my life."

While he was talking, a painful expression took form. Anya could tell he thought of her – Maria – as a precious person to him, and the guilt he felt was too big to hide.

"What did she do for you while you were down? I can support you in your bad days, too, you know."

"That's none of your business. Now, I am going to go find my love. And I warn you – touch her and you're dead!"

The moment Zero left the room tears flooded all over her face. It was for the first time when she felt more than a simple attraction to a man, and this man's heart belonged to another woman. They had shared their blood and body, and he was thinking only of the other one.

Not even or a single moment when they were talking did he notice her heart being shattered to pieces. He showed no concern for her feelings. He even threatened her with death if she will took action against the female vampire who physically hurt her. But the pain caused by Maria was nothing compared to the one caused by the silver-haired hunter.

Sometimes words could kill.

* * *

><p>Maria couldn't stand in that academy any longer. While she was talking with Anya, she could smell the vanilla scent that had come out from Zero's pores. She was sick, only imagining her in Zero's arms. His arms should have embraced only her, Maria, not another woman.<p>

She needed air, so she ran away. She walked aimlessly down London's streets. Her eyes couldn't see, not even the silly humans who were on the streets with her. She was only aware of their presence when she bumped into them. She wasn't aware of cars either, not until their horns screamed into her ears.

She was a total mess. Suddenly she felt like she was suffocating – people on the streets took the oxygen she needed. Her eyes spotted a place in a park and she headed there. She sat on a bench and her eyes finally spilled the tears she had held in for so long.

She didn't know how much time she stayed on that wet bench. She did not even notice when the rain started to fall in heavy waves. The cold water passed thought her thin clothes, soaking them; the cold of it passed through her bones. Her body was trembling, but she had no power to lift it up and go to a warm place. She had no will. She felt like her body was betraying her, just as Zero had.

Suddenly, her ears heard a loud scream. She shockingly found her body moving to the direction of the sound. When she reached it, she found Rose trying to defend herself from a vampire – a former human, soon a level e – the same who attacked Rose that one night, the same vampire who managed to run away from Zero.

Maria wasn't a fighter. Her special ability didn't allow her to fight – her skill was to use animals to collect information. But somehow she had to find enough power to defend herself and the innocent human being.

"Stop right there!" her voice did not have the power to make a vampire obey her command. "What do you think you're doing? Leave that girl alone!"

Rose took advantage of the distraction and ran away – she went to look for help.

Maria was left alone with a hungry beast, and to him, her blood seemed more delicious than his previous human prey.

"You look delicious!" his voice was low and husky. "You look better than the other one. I will make you my meal."

He jumped in her direction. His claws wanted to rip her skin apart and let her blood flow like a flood. Maria was fast enough to avoid her skin being torn to shreds, but not fast enough for her clothes not to suffer some damage. She had been in the heavy rain for maybe hours – she felt the encumbrance of her wet clothes weighing her down.

"You should know your place, level e! You don't even deserve to be called vampire. You're out of the pyramid."

"I am hungry. You took my meal. You're perfect to replace it with. I want to feel your blood flowing down my throat."

He jumped in her direction again with his claws, a perfect killing machine. She dodged his attacks, but soon her moves slowed down and his claws finally came in contact with his victim. At first he wounded her right arm.

Her blood fell on the wet ground – his senses were filled with her sweet scent. His eyes became crimson red and he pounced at her. This time she couldn't avoid his sharp claws stabbing ather body.

Maria felt her blood leaving her body. Her legs losing any strength she had in the first place, her attacker lowered himself over her. Her eyes closed.

* * *

><p>Walter decided to look for the female vampire who hurt his lady. He had no intention of forgiving anyone who showed disrespect for his lady.<p>

When he was at the point of giving up, he found Rose. She was panting and asked for his help.

"Walter, I need your help. Please come with me and save her from that beast."

"Save who?"

"You must help Mister Kiryu's lover." He did not care about Maria's physical integrity. Not when she hurt his lady, but he was a man. He couldn't heartlessly close his eyes when a woman was asking for his help. He couldn't just stand by and let a man hurt a woman.

"That beast attacked me first, and she stopped him from hurting me. I ran away to look for help, but here I can only trust you or Mister Kiryu. She will die. Walter, please help her!"

He allowed himself to be dragged to the place where his help was needed.

When he got to the right place, he found an unconscious woman on the wet ground, blood slipping out from her wound right under her heart, and a beast hovering above her form, ready to feast upon her blood.

That vampire did not have a human form anymore. If he wasn't killed soon, humans would fall as his victims. Walter pounced in his direction. The beast dodged, leaving his victim free. The level e had no intention to fight this time, too. His opponent wasn't a sickly vampire anymore.

He ran away searching for another victim.

"Walter, she's bleeding." The moment the danger ceased, Rose went to Maria's side to check her condition. "She's badly wounded. If we don't hurry, she might die."

Walter looked at her unconsciousness body. "She won't die. She lost a lot of blood, but she won't die. She's a noble vampire, and they're stronger than a human."

"She wasn't strong enough to get herself out of this predicament."

"True. I guess we should take her home." Walter lifted her light body up off the bloodied, wet-floor.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author note: **Chapter edited / revised by **Dark Phyre **- thank you for your hard work.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any character related with it.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VIII<strong>

His life was a complete mess. Two weeks ago, everything had been fine in his life – he carried his job as hunter and his love life perfectly – until that day when his lover proposed to him. He was shocked, and like any other man who was afraid of commitment, ran away, far away from the source of his fear.

Being away from the shock he suffered, he hoped that he would be able to put order into his life. Someone up there hated him – his life became worse day by day. First, his target-to-be decided to turn him into her toy. He was disgusted by her antics, but later he found himself enjoying her presence, and later enjoying her body under his hands.

He had fallen into the category of men who cheated their lovers, their wives. Sooner than he had expected, his passionate escapade was found-out by his lover. And sooner than he had expected, his mistress and his lover were face to face.

He really had been a notorious criminal in his past life.

Today, he had searched for Maria in every possible corner of London. When the rain became heavier, he canceled his searching, promising himself he would try again when the rain stopped.

Maria, these days, much different than what he saw since day he met her. At first, when Shizuka possessed her body, Maria was a cunning woman, but he knew that wasn't her true trait; it belonged to Shizuka.

When he saw the real Maria for the first time – when she woke up after Shizuka's death – he saw a child, not a teenager. She seemed so innocent that it was hard for him to look at her as any other vampire.

He saw her again a year later when she had decided to join Cross Academy, helping the co-existence. During the tough moments she tried to show him she was a strong woman and even helped to keep under control the vampires who lost their reasoning.

After the battle had finished, and he was in despair – he had lost any chance to be with Yuuki – Maria was on his side, helping him to pass through the bad moments. Weeks later, he found himself trying to discover the real Maria.

What he found out weren't all good things. He found out she was a little selfish, she always wanted to have what she desired, and when it was hard to get something, she insisted until the other person granted her wish. But when she got what she wanted, her eyes glowed with a fire, joy.

In those times, he thought only vampire females were like this – selfish, cunning and pushy - but he discovered that he was wrong. These traits were common for human females as well.

And now, the joy he gave her in the past, he replaced with sorrow. Her eyes did not have the glow it had before. Her eyes were sad and on the verge of shedding tears. The Maria he knew had disappeared.

His thoughts were interrupted by Rose's loud voice.

Rose opened the door and showed Walter the way to Maria's room. The moment she entered the mansion, she screamed, asking for help. The servants were alarmed and hurried to give her the help she needed.

They were surprised to see a wounded Maria in the arms of a stranger.

Immediately, Zero made his presence felt. His eyes saw just an unconscious Maria with clothes stained by blood. He increased his stride and instantly took the wounded vampire from Walter's arms. He took her into her room.

"Get a doctor, now!" he gave his orders, and his hands removed her upper clothes to see her wound. Neither Walter nor Rose left the room. "Who did this to her?" he asked the two.

"She tried to save me. Everything is my fault."

"I had asked who did this to her?" Zero knew she was innocent and she didn't deserve to be treated like this, but couldn't she just answer his question?

"She was wounded by a level E. Rose asked for help and I provided it," answered Walter.

"It was the same vampire who tried to hurt me in the night you saved me," she completed.

This made Zero's blood boil. It was the same scum he let escape a few days before. He blamed himself for the mistake. If he had been more careful, that scum would have been already been ashes, and Maria wouldn't have a wound near her heart.

The doctor entered in the room and the rest of them made their way out. Rose went into the kitchen, preparing something for a wounded person, while Zero and Walter went into the living room to talk.

"She won't die. Even I, a former human, can tell she is a high-ranking vampire, an aristocrat. I heard they are stronger than a former human vampire." Walter saw concern on Zero's face and he tried to comfort him for a reason he did not know.

"I know she isn't gonna die. But she was always sickly. I don't know how this will affect her."

"You are worried for her, and you still betrayed her."

"I won't have this conversation with you. What I want to talk about with you is that level E who attacked Maria. Tell me more about what you saw."

"I didn't see much. When I got there, she was on the ground, unconscious, and her attacker was on her, ready to feast upon her blood. He didn't have the chance to do so, but she lost a lot of blood."

"In which direction did he run?"

"London Bridge. He ran away in that direction."

"Hmm…I guess it's a suitable place for him to hide."

"Will you hunt him down?"

"Of course. He touched something that is mine. Moreover, if I don't kill him, he will undoubtedly create more human victims. His hours are counted."

Zero left the room and went to check on Maria and her condition. Walter took that as a sign that he had to leave.

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><p>Anya was bored. It was around 10 PM and her loyal servant wasn't by her side. He left without a word while they still had classes and still had not returned. She was worried. She wondered if something had happened to him – there had to be a reason why he wasn't home yet. She wondered if Rose was the reason for his tardiness.<p>

She heard the sound of the front door and Walter's scent filled her senses. She hurried to meet him.

"You're late. I was waiting for you for hours. Where have you been?" She hoped he would have a good excuse for letting her wait for so long.

"A level E made an attack. I had to intervene and I took the injured girl to her family to get help."

"Ah…" It was a good excuse. If she saw a monster like a level E hurting a girl, she would have helped as well. "You did well. How is the girl? Is she okay? But before telling me about that, come and dry yourself off – you're soaked from head to toe."

She preferred to use a demanding tone to hide her concern for his health. Maybe he was just a servant in someone else eyes, but during the years that they spent together, she had grown fond of him; for her, Walter was a friend, a confident.

Walter left for his room and changed; ten minutes later he was in the living room with his master waiting for the details of his tale.

"You said the girl was wounded. Was she badly wounded?"

"She had a wound below her heart. She lost a lot of blood, but she will be fine. I guess they will provide her with blood and she will heal faster."

"Provide her with blood? The victim was another vampire?" Walter nodded as his response to her question.

"Yes, my lady. The wounded girl I am talking about is that Kurenai Maria."

"Then you shouldn't have saved her. She was very rude with your master. Besides, why couldn't she stop a mere level E? Isn't she a noble vampire? Where were her special abilities?"

Walter sighed. His master was merciless sometimes, and that little girl slapping her didn't please his lady in the slightest. But he was a gentleman – he would never let a woman being get physically assault by a male, being that it was either a human male or a vampire.

"My lady, when I decided to help her, I did not know who the victim was, but even if I would have known, I would have come to her aid – she's a woman and I am a man. I would be a shameful man if I closed my eyes only because she raised her hand to you, my lady. Besides, you deserved it – you made a move on her lover, any woman would be upset with you."

She couldn't believe what her ears heard – she _deserved_ it?

"Walter, in case you have forgotten, I am your master and you're being very rude to me. Whether I deserved it or not is irrelevant. Your duty is to always be on my side."

Walter sighed again.

Sometimes he thought he had in his care a spoiled ojou-sama. "My lady, my duty is to take care of you. Taking care of you means for me to point out your mistakes, too. My lady, trying to seduce a man whose heart belongs to someone else is very un-lady-like. My lady, you should be prepared to accept the effects of your actions. This is the normal course of nature."

Anya knew he has right, but she would never voice it. Continuing to talk about this was a waste of her time, so she decided to change the subject.

"So, you took her home - you mean the place where my hunter-san lives?"

"Yes, my lady. I took her to the place where she's currently staying."

"Did you see my hunter-san?"

"Yes, my lady. I saw him. He was worried for her well-being."

"How much?"

"How much what?

"How much concern had he shown for her? I want every detail of his reaction, Walter."

"When he saw her wounded, he took her from my arms into his and headed towards her room. He took her clothes off of her chest to check her wound."

Her eyes were coming out of their sockets when she heard his words. "Later, I talked with him and he was angry that someone dared to touch something that belongs to him." He intended to give her any and all information; maybe, this way, she would stay away from the hunter. Each time when Walter saw her around Zero, he got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, the feeling that something would happen to her.

"Did he really say that that little girl _belongs_ to him?"

"Yes, my lady – he said that. After that, he said he would hunt down the vampire who did that to her."

_Zero said that there exists something which ties them together, a bond which cannot be cut. I wonder about this – what ties them together._

"Thank you for the information, Walter! Now if you don't mind I want to go to sleep. It's pretty late. Good night."

She needed to be alone and think about what she had been told. This night would be a restless one for her.

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><p>Maria felt a slight pain. Memories of what happened earlier flooded into her mind. She stayed in that heavy rain for too long, and it started to affect her body's movements while she tried to keep that vampire at bay, away from her or anyone else.<p>

She could felt a slight pain in her throat. She was thirsty.

Her eyes opened and the first image she saw was Zero, sleeping soundlessly in the chair next to her bed. She shifted her body a little and the ruffling of bed sheets woke him up.

"Maria, you're finally awake!" She frowned. How long had she been unconscious?

"Zero, what are you doing here?" It wasn't the first thing she had wanted to say, but the words still left her lips. Even in her wounded condition, even if she wanted to, she couldn't forget about his betrayal.

"I was worried about you. In the middle of class you ran off. I look after you but I couldn't find you, and when you returned home you were badly wounded. You were unconscious for more than a day. The doctor said you would be fine, you just need rest, but I couldn't stop worrying."

Since Maria had been brought home by Walter, only once had Zero left her side, and this was while she had been being checked by the doctor and he had been talking with Walter. Since then, he watched her rest and murmured words of forgiveness to her sleeping form.

"I feel a little pain below my chest, but I will be fine. You don't need to watch over me so kindly. We both know you don't want to be here." So what if she was trying to make him feel guilty? He was at fault for causing her pain. She would put salt on his wounds anytime she was given the chance.

"Maria, I am sorry for what I did. I have no excuse for what I did. I deserve to be punished by you, but please…don't leave me! I would do _anything_ for you."

Well, there was one thing she wished for him to do – go and kill that woman – but she knew he wouldn't do it. He wasn't allowed to break the rules, and the consequences for him doing so would be extremely damaging.

"Will you do anything?" she asked, using a low voice.

"Yes, I would. Anything you want."

Her eyes became crimson red. Her small hands clutched his sleeve in her delicate fingers and she pulled him onto the bed. "My throat hurts, Zero-kun." He understood her request. She wanted her body to be filled with his life essence. He moved closer to her, allowing her month to touch the pale skin of his neck.

"My throat hurts so much! I really want to taste you, Zero-kun." Her tongue licked the spot where her vampire fangs were going to sink into the flesh; she listened to his essence rushing through his veins. Her teeth grazed his skin just enough for a little blood to be seen and for her to taste; it was enough to make her sharp fangs pierce his skin and take what she desired – his blood.

She tasted his blood. She could feel her wound closing up. She could feel his guilt, but with that flooded images she never wanted to see – them being linked as one on her bed. Tears flooded from her eyes onto her cheeks and onto his skin.

Her fangs left his throat and her weak arms pushed him away.

"Please, leave me alone."

"Maria…" he could understand her rejection, "I am sorry," he whispered apologetic words.

"If you ever cared for me, even just a little, please leave right now… Please!" If he didn't leave her alone, she just knew that her heart would break into a million pieces.

Knowing about them sharing an intimate moment, and seeing that moment through the taste of his blood were two completely different things. Maria buried her face onto her hands and cried.

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><p><strong>Don't forget to review and let me know what you think about it.<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Author Note: **Special thanks to **Dark Phyre** who revised this chapter.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight**

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><p><strong>Chapter IX<strong>

She stayed locked in her room for days. The only people she allowed to enter were the female servants who brought her meals. She wasn't in the proper mental state to see or talk with Zero.

During the days where she was avoiding contact with someone, her mind always recalled memories.

The first man she ever had a crush on was Ichiru. He was a loyal person to Shizuka, the pureblood she gave up her body to. Even if her body was possessed by her distant relative, she could feel and see with her eyes the events that took place.

Most of the time she spent with Ichiru was while Shizuka had control over her, but even with her control on, she still formed feelings for the loyal boy. She was distraught when the news of his death reached her ears.

When she saw Zero for the first time, as the real her, she mistook him for Ichiru. They were alike, but they were different in a way – she could tell in the few minutes she had been around him. She left Cross Academy after Shizuka's death, and while she was home in her room, her mind flew around the other twin, Zero.

A reason she accepted Yuuki Kuran's invitation was to be around the silver-haired hunter. In the past, she knew he was close to the pureblood princess, but when she joined to academy, she saw Zero acting cold to Yuuki.

And that was when she decided to put her small, fragile hands on the young hunter.

At first, she announced her intentions to the pureblood princess, and soon after, she carried on with her plan. She saw him for weeks, craving for blood, and felt powerless, knowing she couldn't help him.

But one day she approached him and she offered him her blood. He had been too hungry to refuse her. She enjoyed the feeling of his fangs sinking deep into her neck. She heard the sound of her rushing blood being sipped. She was ecstatic; a pleasure whimper had left her throat and passed through her open lips.

In that moment alone, he drank so much from her that any form of power left her body, and she lay limp in his arms.

She did not ask him to return her feelings, she was just happy to be on his side and help him when troubles occurred in the Night Class.

Only after the problems from vampire society ended, and the Kuran princess returned to the arms of her fiancée, did she confess her feelings to the young hunter. She took advantage of his mental condition, and slowly, but with certain steps, she made him surrender to her.

A few months, later he accepted her feelings and they became an official couple.

She knew he wasn't the type of a guy who would go on dates, but she wanted to experience a normal love life with all the regular things included. And he, Zero, did them all.

They went to the movies together, they ate dinner in a family restaurant, and he went shopping with her. He made her happy. And the best part of them being together was the kisses they shared.

It had been over a year since she felt his lips pressing on hers since the first time. They were at the movies, watching a comedy. She had fun watching it, but somehow she looked at him – his eyes were gazing at her. His glance was strange - it was filled with something she had never seen in him before.

She opened her mouth to ask him if something was wrong, but no question left her lips – he crushed his mouth over hers. At first she was shocked but she soon found herself responding to his kiss.

While they kissed, she wondered if he was pleased with her kissing – she had no experience – what if he didn't want to kiss her again.

Their lips separated and soon united again, but not before she heard him whisper her name. His voice was low, seductive. She let him embrace her body by his lips and his arms.

Her mind recalled memories of their first time together.

She had gone to his room to check up on him. She guessed he was tired after his patrolling and he probably overslept – she went to wake him up. She knocked on his door, but no one answered. She opened it and closed the door behind her as she gently stepped inside.

He wasn't in his room. She saw his clothes on the bed but he was nowhere to be found. She heard the sound of a door cracking open and she was delighted to see a stunned Zero – he was naked, only with a towel around his waist.

Her face had turned a bright shade of crimson red.

Later she found herself in his arms, and his mouth crushed her lips. In that morning neither she nor he had left that room. She had enjoyed the feelings of his bare body under her hands, under her naked body.

She felt her body being pleasured by him. In that morning, they shared their blood. In that morning, she screamed his name while unknown feelings exploded within her body.

And now, after those beautiful experiences they shared, she was locked in a room, living her days full of sorrow. She didn't want to let him go, but could she truly forgive him?

It was the first time that she had been put through something like this – infidelity.

She was in love with him. She learned to love him, not the twin within him, and now she was afraid she might lose him. And to whom? She would lose him because of a red-haired beauty, a woman who saw him and felt attraction toward him.

She wondered if Zero had seen her these days. She had locked herself in this room for days. She knew nothing about him. Did he visit the redhead? Did he kiss her? Did they make love again? Her insecurity was killing her.

She rose from the bed and headed to the bathroom. She watched her pale features in the mirror. She could barely recognize herself.

Her eyes had lost their shine, her face was pale, and she had clearly lost weight. A few more days of this and she would be a real ghost.

Maria removed her clothes and let the hot water of the shower calm her body and mind. While doing this, she finally came to the conclusion that she was going to be strong, and there was no way she was going to let another woman take what was rightfully hers.

She decided that she was going to fight for Zero with all her might.

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><p>Zero hadn't left the house for the next two days. He did not come near her room; he gave her the space she needed, but he frequently asked the maids about her health condition. After all these days doing nothing productive he decided to hunt down the beast that was walking freely on the streets. He couldn't let that vampire walk free while he was lusting for blood. Who knows how many victims that beast attacked after Maria was wounded. It had been days already.<p>

During his first attempt to catch his prey, Zero had gone to the place where Maria was attacked. He couldn't detect him since the rain had washed away his scent, but being in that place, he could see with his vampire eyes, places where his prey might have been before.

Since that vampire lost his human form, he couldn't blend in with people or crowds anymore, so the best option for him was to hide in isolated places and wait for night to fall.

His eyes could see the London Bridge, a perfect place where a criminal might hide. His steps followed in that direction. While he came closer to the bridge, he could see how perfect it was for someone to hide.

At the base of the bridge were small rooms where poor people usually gathered during the nighttime to sleep. What he saw in one of those rooms made his stomach turn.

A strong smell of decay reached his sensitive nose. They had obviously been dead for days. He wanted to hold his breath but he wanted to check the bodies. But he would never find fresh air in that room.

He checked their bodies anyway. Some of them had no apparent wounds, except for the deep bites on their necks, signs of their blood being sucked until they were dead. Others had more complex wounds on their bodies. They probably tried to fight with the beast.

Even if the beast didn't suck their blood until they died, Zero suspected that they would have died due to blood loss anyway from the other wounds.

Zero was enraged and angry with himself. While he had stayed at home, pitying his fate, people were being hunted and killed by that rampaging vampire.

He swore on his parents' memory that the bastard would die today. He wouldn't return home until that beast was turned to dust.

Zero checked each empty room. In one of them, which was cleaner than the others, he saw bed sheets and a pillow. Someone was living in that room. The smell in this room was different than the other ones. The room was filled with that filth's scent.

Zero's nose memorized the scent and he started searching for the bastard. With each step he made in his search, he could tell that the scent was fading away. The bastard wasn't in the London Bridge area anymore. He was probably out, looking for another vulnerable meal.

Zero walked on the side alleys, and other isolated places, in his search for the beast. He could tell his prey-to-be was somewhere in the area – Zero could sense his scent strongly now. Noises reached his ears and he headed in that direction. The noise was coming from a restaurant, but he noticed that the scent was stronger with each step he made in that direction.

Through the window, Zero could see happy clients, but the scent did not come from inside – it was coming from outside. Zero allowed his instincts to take him in the right direction – the side alley.

Outside, it was getting dark already, and the beast was probably hiding in the dark, waiting for someone to come outside. Zero's vampire eyes checked the area, and to his luck, he saw a silhouette in the shadows. He slowly pulled out his gun.

And then he shot in that direction, and the dark shadow moved away.

"You, damn it, you came to take my daily meal." Zero looked at the vampire who once looked like a human. It was no longer a human - it was just a disgusting creature who desired fresh blood. He wasn't going to have remorse when he turned the blood-sucking monster into dust.

"Yeah, I've come to end your existence. You have lost your human form completely. You're no longer a human. Vampire…you will pay for your sins with your life."

The beast jumped toward Zero in an attempt to wound him, but Zero was too fast and too strong to let himself being wounded by a low creature like the one in front of his eyes. Zero dodged him easily, and in return, he kicked the beast in the stomach with his right leg.

"Did you think you had a chance against me?" Zero aimed his Bloody Rose and pointed it at the head of his prey. "You've killed many people since you lost your humanity. How many people were under that bridge? Five? Ten? Twenty? You tell me."

"I did not count. When I ate them I was so full. I was upset that day – I lost my prey twice. First it was one small girl I tried to eat, and the second was that young vampire female. She looked so delicious, but when my meal was taken away from me, I was in pain. Those homeless weren't enough to extinguish the pain in my throat on that day."

This filth was talkative. At least Zero wasn't being forced to interrogate him anymore. The filth was admitting to all of his crimes, and willingly, nonetheless.

"The female you wounded that night is my woman. When you put your dirty hands on her, it was your biggest mistake." Zero pulled the trigger on his Bloody Rose and hit the vampire's legs. Unable to move, the vampire was easy prey for the silver-haired hunter.

"Filth like you deserve to be turned to ashes." Zero pointed his gun at his prey's head again, and pulled the trigger once more, delivering the fatal blow.

The vampire who had murdered and slayed for the past days turned to ashes. Humans in the area were safe now - no one was lurking in the shadows anymore.

Zero melted into the shadows of the alleyway before he was spotted by the humans who had heard the gunshots. And by the time they got there, and Zero was long gone, there was nothing left to see except a pile of ashes on the concrete ground.

* * *

><p>After her shower, Maria dressed and left her room, and the house as well. She had to visit someone, and she wasn't going to be stopped – she had to see Anya.<p>

When Maria stepped on Anya's property she was welcomed by the woman's faithful servant, Walter.

"What are you doing here, young vampire lady?"

"I have come to see that woman. Where is she?"

"Momentarily, my lady is busy. I am afraid she cannot receive you."

"Then she should clear her schedule because I want to see her right now." Walter did not want them to meet. For the past few days, his lady wasn't in bad mood. He knew this fact very well, seeing as when she was in a bad mood, he had to replace the windows at least twice a day. If his lady saw the hunter's lover she would undoubtedly snap again, and who knew what she would destroy in the process – he just hoped she wouldn't destroy the house.

"Young vampire lady…my lady is not feeling well. I kindly advise you to postpone your visit. I will personally announce you when it is safe for you to talk with my lady." He hoped he had sent the message that his lady had murderous intentions for the younger female vampire. He didn't want her blood to be spilled on a floor he would have to wash. He was exhausted already.

"I want to talk with that woman. I don't care if she's not feeling well." Maria forcibly passed by Walter and headed to the front door when his arms stopped her.

"I kindly advise you to…" He did not finish his plea. The front door opened and his lady was standing right in front of the two of them.

"It's okay, Walter. I want to talk with her, too. Sooner is better anyway." Anya motioned for Maria to come inside.

Once they were inside, Maria was invited to take a seat. Anya had a feeling their discussion would be long and unpleasant. She hoped at least to be productive with her time.

"I had heard that you were hurt. Are you feeling better now?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. However, I did not come here to talk about my health."

"I was trying to be nice with a female who recently was hurt by another vampire. It was just courtesy. I don't really give a damn about your health condition." Anya was boiling on the inside. The moment she felt the presence of the female who hurt her pureblood cheek, she felt the need to break another set of windows. She needed a lot of strength to abstain her rage. Also, this female vampire was still rude with her, a pureblood. Anya felt the need to teach her a lesson.

"I know very well what had happened between you and Zero-kun" Maria broke the silence "However, I do not intend to give up on him. The bond between us is still strong, no vampire can break it."

Again this bond. Anya didn't know why she wasn't referring to a physical bond, like having an intimate relationship. She thought it was nothing more than that.

"You still keep mentioning this bond. What are you referring to? I hope you're not referring you two sharing an intimate relationship, because if you do, let me tell you that this means nothing. He already shared this kind of bond with me, as well."

A gentle smile showed up on Maria's delicate feature. "Of course not. I am talking about something deeper, which for him is more important than sex."

"Explain yourself vampire! I am not in the mood to make riddles." Anya was already tired of Maria's game. She would do better to speak sensibly now, or else this young female would be turned to dust. Anya's calm was tinnier with each second that passed.

"His twin brother." Anya was taken by surprise from Maria's answer.

"Isn't he dead?"

"Yes, Ichiru is dead, but he still exists within Zero and I. Both of us loved Ichiru very much. No one can break the bond his beloved brother created through his blood."

"HaHaHa…for a moment I was scared, but apparently I have no reason to be. Maybe you think that this as an unbreakable bond, but it's not." Anya couldn't stop her laughing fit. She had so many worries about this, and it was all for nothing.

"It's not only his twin. We have a past together. Neither Zero nor I can erase our past. I was the one who brought him to the light. If it wasn't for me, he would still be suffering after the loss of his first love. I was the one on his side, and I was able to erase her presence from his heart. If I could do that, then I am sure I can erase you from his heart, too."

Anya had always assumed Maria had been his first love. So then who was his true first love?

"His first love, who was it?"

"I have experience in having a pureblood as my rival." A pureblood? He was in love with another pureblood? "He loved her so much. He desired her blood to the extent of devouring her, and it was so hard to see him and how much he craved for her. But I was the one who made Zero look at me. I was able to erase her presence and replace it with mine. It wasn't easy, but I was the one Zero eventually wanted to have on his side."

"Who was she?" Anya couldn't stop thinking about his first love. She wanted to know who seized his heart for the first time.

"That is irrelevant. What is important is that she was a pureblood that he loved very much. Unfortunately for Zero, she had feelings for someone else. His feelings were never returned."

Maria saw that her rival understood her message. She sat up from the couch and wanted to leave, but not before challenging her rival again.

"I guess from now on we will fight for his love. I already have experience in doing so. What do you have? You can make any move you want towards him, but the victory will always be mine." Maria left the mansion. Behind her was a pureblood deeply absorbed in her own thoughts. But her mind couldn't stop thinking about his first love. Knowing that the other woman never returned his feelings did not relax her one bit.

"My lady, are you all right?" Walter came to his lady's side the moment her guest left the house. It had been ten minutes and she still hadn't noticed his presence. "My lady, did your guest offend you in any way?"

"Walter…" He sighed in relief when his lady finally spoke. "What would you do to get answers for your questions?" She looked into his eyes. He'd never known her eyes to express innocence. She was like a child who knew nothing.

"I would ask the person who can provide them, my lady." A soft smile appeared on her lips.

"I cannot believe I did not think of this before. Walter, you're a savior." She kissed him on the cheek and went to look for the person who could answer her question. And he could be found in only one place: his home.

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><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>I hope you liked this chapter. Soon the setting will gonna change, but not the next one but the eleven chapter.

Let me know what you think about this chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author note: **Special thanks to Dark Phyre who edited this chapter.

If you have question regarding the story you're free to ask - I will answer them - however do not ask spoilers because I won't tell you anything.

**Disclaimer: Don't own Vampire Knight**

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><p><strong>Chapter X<strong>

The last few days had been hectic for him. He had to deal with a seductive pureblood. He had to make amendments with his fragile lover - and he was still working on it - and he had to hunt a blood-sucking monster.

All he wanted to do now was lie on his bed, and not be disturbed by anyone. When he reached the door of his temporary home, he wanted nothing more than peace and quiet. But this, he would not get. His nose could sense the presence of an uninvited guest: Anya.

He went inside the house, and saw her sitting in the living room, face to face with Maria. When his eyes stopped on her frame, he couldn't help but notice her green eyes, and her full, rosy lips. He had an urge to kiss her. He stopped his thoughts when, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Maria sitting up and coming toward him.

"Zero-kun, where have you been?" He was surprised by the tone of her voice. It was like what happened these past few days had never occurred. "I missed you!" She tiptoed across the room to stand in front of him. Her hands went around his neck and bent his head down, into a kiss. Her lips were soft, but he was too shocked to respond.

When Anya saw her rival kissing him with no shame with her in the room, she wanted to take that barefaced vampire off of him and killed her where she stood. She abstained herself only because she remembered his words and how he said that he wouldn't let her hurt Maria.

Anya knew that she and Maria had recently started a battle for Zero's love, but her rival was playing dirty. But she wasn't about to let that cunning woman take Zero from her. If Maria wanted a dirty battle, then she was going to have one.

Zero felt uncomfortable in such a position with Maria while having a guest in the same room, so he reluctantly pushed her away.

"I had to do some hunter job. I was looking for the vampire who attacked you."

"Did you find him?"

"Of course I did. Unfortunately, in his final days, he killed more than ten homeless humans. If I had searched for him sooner, those humans wouldn't have been his victims."

"I'm sorry Zero. It's all my fault. If I had been stronger that day, when I met him, those people wouldn't be dead now."

She really was a vixen, Anya thought with malice. Her hunter-san would never think that she was guilty for the human's deaths, but she was acting very well. Anya expected her hunter-san to comfort her rival.

"It isn't your fault." Shocking. "I had two chances to kill him before, and I had failed. The fault is mine only. But he's dead now, and he can't kill anyone anymore. But my problem is _you_." He looked at Anya when he said the last word. "What are you doing here?" he asked the pureblood female.

"I came to talk with you. It's very important."

"Can't it wait?"

"No. I need to talk to you now. I have a lot on my mind, and only you can give me answers."

"Fine. Then we'll talk."

"In private. I want a place where we won't be disturbed." And when she said this she was referring to Maria's meddling.

"Is it alright if I talk with her in private, Maria?" He wanted to talk with her, too. And with no one eaves-dropping. It was necessary, but he still wanted to get Maria's permission after what he had put her through.

"I have no problem with it." Maria said, and left the two of them alone. She knew it would take time to restore her full presence into his heart. He, talking alone with his mistress, did not represent an important treat for her. Her past experience would help her regain Zero.

And then they were alone. He could have taken her into another room to talk, but he was afraid of what would happen if they were alone. He knew her well – if she got the chance to be with him alone, she would most certainly try to charm him again. And he wasn't sure he would be able to resist her.

"She came to talk with me, and she told me about your relationship with her." She had so many things to say to him, and she didn't know where to start; she said the first thought that came into her preoccupied mind. "She told me about her and your twin."

"What about Ichiru?" He tried to remain calm, and not kiss her lips here and now. She was so close, but he had no right to touch her.

"She told me that her brother lives within her and you, and this is a blood bond between you two." It wasn't a question, but she wanted him to tell her if it was truly an unbreakable bond or not.

"You can say that. Ichiru is important for me and her… and his blood ties us."

"Are you in a relationship with her because of your brother? Was this his dying wish?"

The moment of his brother's death was something he would never forget. On the day he devoured the remains of his life, he promised him that he would accomplish his goal. On that day, he thought he had a duty to slaughter any and all purebloods on the face of the Earth, but he had been very wrong.

Months after his death, he realized his brother's true wish, and he was eternally thankful to Maria for making him realize it. That was their bond.

"No, Ichiru never asked me to be with Maria. Time brought us together."

"Yeah, about that… She said you were in love before with another pureblood. Who was she?" Since the moment Maria mentioned Zero's past love-life, Anya desired to know that woman's identity. After all, that was the reason she had been troubled beforehand.

However, Zero was taken aback by Anya's words. He never thought he would be questioned about something that had happened a long time ago.

"I don't see a reason for you to bring her into our discussion. She has nothing to do with us." He saw no reason for Yuuki to be brought into their conversation. What had she been told?

"Maria said you loved her. Truly loved her. And you suffered because she didn't return your feelings for her. She didn't love you the way you loved her."

In the past, he had wanted nothing more than to be with her – Yuuki. From the first moment he saw her spending time with that pureblood – Kaname – he knew she was in love with him. For years, he listened to her about the love she carried for the royal vampire.

But not even when the entire world thought of him as a dangerous vampire heart waver. She believed in him from the beginning, and loved him as a whole.

Maria was there for him when he lost his final hope to have Yuuki. She stayed by his side, and with time, he saw Yuuki the way she saw him too, a family member. Now, for him, Yuuki was the sister he never had.

"That was long time ago. I see no reason for you to mention her."

"You loved another pureblood besides me. I have the right to know more about my rival."

Women were impossible, Zero thought, mentally sighing, _I swear. I will never understand them. Now they're calm, and two seconds later they're insane._

"What rival? She's not your rival in anything."

"You loved her."

"Yes, past tense. Now, she's like my sister."

"I still want to know who she is, and tell her one word or two."

"Woman, you're impossible. I told you she's not a danger for you. She's in the past. My love for her is just brotherly. However, if you would tell her those two words I think her husband would have a problem. He's not the kind of guy who would overlook your rude behavior towards his wife."

"She's married?"

"Yes, she's married. And she's going to be a mother in a few months. So rest assured." He hoped he wouldn't be asked about his relationship with Yuuki again. He had no intention to delve into his past. He already knew what rested there.

Even if her curiosity wasn't completely satisfied, she felt much better hearing her hunter-san's assuring words that his feelings for the previous pureblood was just brotherly love. Now it was time for her to ask him about his relationship with her persona.

"Hunter-san, about us...let's talk about us." He knew this moment was inevitable. Sooner or later he had to choose one of them. He was confused. On one side was Maria, the person who had been on his side when he needed someone the most. And she made him forget his previous love, and with time he grew fond of her. And on the other side was this red-haired woman he had some kind of feelings for. He didn't quite know if they were real or not.

When he was alone, he wondered why he gave up under her charms, and after hours, or more days of thinking, he realized he had some feelings for his prey-to-be. He knew he would never act like he had if he didn't have some kind of feelings for her. He was just confused.

And now he was at a loss. He had to make a choice, and one of them would suffer from it. It was up to him to decide who.

"Anya…" She liked to hear her name coming from his lips. Each time that he said her name, she wanted to hear it ever more. "The situation is complicated right now. I need time to think."

He was hesitating. He would decide who he would end up with in couple of days though. Until then, she needed to make him chose her over Maria. It was vital.

"Hunter-san, I would like to remind you that we expressed our feelings pretty well in my room a few days ago. I got to know you since I met you and I know you would never let me seduce you if you didn't feel something for me. You're in love with me. You just don't realize how much. Even if you return to Maria's side, she would never forget what you did with me. And what that did to her. I will always be a shadow in your relationship if you choose her. When you hug her, I know you will want me in your arms. Besides, I don't think it's right for you to be with her because you feel indebted to her. It's not fair for her, especially. Being with you won't bring her complete happiness and she knows it. I will wait for you at my house. When you decide who you truly want, come and tell me."

Maria would probably try to fight for Zero by seducing him, or trying to make him remember the memories of how their relationship was before. But she decided to fight differently – she would make Zero think about his own feelings, and eventually he would chose the one he thought he truly loved – the one he knew he loved – Anya.

Anya left Zero alone, thinking about his next move.

* * *

><p>After Anya's departure, Zero returned to his room and took a long, cold shower. He reflected on Anya's words, and he knew that he had to make the right decision sooner than later. And no matter what the consequences, he was going to make the right decision.<p>

But before that, he had something else to do – reporting to the Hunters Association about his last victim. With all the troubles with his official target – Anya -, he forgot to tell them about the level E vampire.

Zero took the phone and dialed the number. He expected Cross Kaien to answer the phone, but the voice he heard belonged to his former training partner, Takamiya Kaito.

"Good morning Zero! Why are you calling at this hour? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Where is that damn idiot? I need to talk with him."

"President Cross is not here. I am his substitute in his absence. What do you want to talk to him about? I can take a message."

Zero sighed. Kaito wasn't the person he wanted to talk to, but he knew he wouldn't be in the mood to call later in the hope the Cross would answer him. Zero could report to Kaito, and he would pass the information on.

"I want to report the presence of a level E vampire in London."

"If it's a level E then you're free to hunt and kill him. But be careful about doing that before the beast kills innocent lives."

"I already kill him. I killed him last night."

"So you called to tell us know that you killed him, and you aren't looking to receive the order to kill him. Well, even if you did respect protocol every now and again, I'm glad you killed that blood sucking monster. I hope you took him down before it made any victims."

There was a pregnant pause on the phone line, and Kaito became suspicious. He knew Zero very well, and he wouldn't have hesitated to confirm that he killed the beast before it had killed any people in London.

"You killed him _before_ there were any victims, right?"

"About that…"

"How many lives did that monster take, and why did it take you so long to get rid of him?"

"A lot of things happened and I couldn't hunt him down earlier." He had no excuse for letting that monster get away for so long, but he hoped that his best male friend would understand him.

"I'm all ears."

Zero had no other choice than to tell him the truth.

"Well, Maria was hurt by that vampire, and I stayed with her until she felt better. She wasn't in good shape."

"She's a noble vampire. She wouldn't have died because of a wound inflected by a mere vampire."

"When I say good shape I mean her mental state as well. These past few days have been rough for her."

"I don't understand. Explain."

"Well, everything started with my mission to catch this pureblood. She's proven to be a very problematic target."

"What have you done, Zero?" Kaito knew Zero hadn't known the important details about his target, but he hoped Zero didn't do something out of place. "Tell me you didn't kill her!"

"Of course I didn't. Who do you think I am? I can control my temper, you know." Zero felt offended by his remark.

"Save God!" All Kaito could do was sighed in relief. "Okay, tell me why is she's been problematic for you."

Zero had no choice than to tell him about her hobby to seduce men, and how she tried to seduce him. He wasn't sure if he was going to tell him everything, like how he fell under her charms.

"My target, Anya Cold, has a liking to certain men. Also, she likes to wear clothes her own kin doesn't wear, and let's just say that it's hard to stay around her."

"I do not understand how Anya being difficult affected Maria's mental state. Unless she started to like you, and you like her as well."

Zero couldn't open his mouth to say something. He knew Kaito said what he said as a joke, but he nailed the situation right on the dot.

On the other side of the phone, Kaito was worried about the silence between them.

"Zero, do you like her? Tell me it's not true!" If it was up to him, Zero could have had any other girl, even three at the same time. But the matter with Anya was kind of complicated.

"Well, it's not really liking, but some things happened, and Maria isn't pleased, to say the least."

"We never thought that her habit to play with men would affect you. At least you don't want to take her down, and this is a good thing. You will never get permission to kill her – killing her is not part of your mission. I guess you'll receive the order to bring back her to Japan pretty soon, if you haven't gotten them already."

Zero kept silent. Wasn't his mission to find proof of her bad behavior and take her down after he asked for permission? Then why was he assigned to this mission?

"What do you mean I would never have gotten the permission to kill her? Kaito, what's going on?"

Kaito realized his mistake: he had said too much, and he had been careless. "I need to go now. Urgent matters came up." Kaito hung up the phone, and went to warn the hunters' president. He would be dead when Zero found out the whole truth.

On the other side of the phone, Zero was speechless. He knew something was going on, and that they were hiding something from him. And this mission was obviously a total farce. He wouldn't rest until he found out the truth.

The first step in finding the truth seemed to be asking his target, since this was about her. Zero dressed in a hurry, and went to pay a visit in the middle of the night to a certain seductive pureblood.

* * *

><p>It was around midnight when Zero arrived at Anya's mansion. He knocked 'politely' at the front door, and waited for her faithful servant opened the door. He hoped the door would open fast. If not, Anya would be forced to replace it.<p>

The door opened faster than he thought, and he could see Walter's disapproving facial features. It was too late for his lady to receive men at her house.

"Mister Kiryu, in case that your clock is broken, let me inform you that is passed midnight. It is improper for a man to show up at the door of an unmarried lady in the middle of the night. Please go home, and return at a proper hour."

"Listen…I'm in no mood to be polite, especially to you. I am here to urgently interrogate your master. My presence here is purely for work." Zero pushed Walter aside and went to search for his lady. Tonight he would find out the truth behind his mission.

Anya was in bed for almost an hour when she heard the doorbell. She knew who it had to be, since she could smell his scent. She rose from her bed and put a robe around her petite body. The door opened and she saw an angry hunter. She had no idea why he was in a bad mood, but it wasn't her fault. She hadn't misbehaved since she left his house.

"What brings you here at this late hour?" The last time she spoke with him, he said he needed time. "Or did you miss me, and you cannot stand to be away from me? Did you choose me?"

She came closer to him, her arms going around his neck and bent his head to bring him into a kiss. She pressed her lips softly on his mouth. He was hesitant at first, but soon he let himself indulge in it. Her lips were soft, sweet – he wanted to feel more of her. With the tip of his tongue he licked her bottom lip asking for permission. She was more than happy to oblige.

Zero didn't hesitate to invade her mouth with his tongue, exploring each crevice of it. Soft moans formed in the back her throat, and he was there to swallow them all. His hands wandered on her back, up and down, feeling her body heat.

His body wanted to feel her, but his mind reminded him of why he came to see her. Zero pushed her away. He looked at her, and saw that she was confused. He looked at her swollen, red lips, and wanted to feel them again, but his mind constantly reminded him his purpose there.

"I didn't come here to do this."

"Then why are you here?" There was a trace of anger in her voice. She felt so good in his arms, with his mouth ravaging hers. She wanted more of him, and he wasn't in the mood for it.

"I am here to find out more about you. I am here to interrogate you."

"Do you really need to do it now? We have a lot of time, and I would gladly tell you more about me another day. We can discover each other later. Don't all couples do this?"

"I mean another kind of interrogation; an interrogation like the one between a hunter and a vampire." Zero took a seat and motioned for her to take one, too. Politely, she complied.

Even if his questions seemed naïve, he had to ask them. While he was on his way to her home, he realized that he knew nothing about her. He would start at the beginning.

"Name and age."

"You already know my name. I won't tell you my age."

"Your name and age!"

She gave him a cold look. "Fine. My name is Anya Cold – you knew this already. And my age is around five hundred years old."

"Your birth place."

She had no clue why he is asking these pointless questions. She sighed. "Yokohama, Japan."

"You were born in Japan? You don't look like Japanese."

"Because I am not one, Sherlock. I was just born and raised there. My parents are English. No Japanese blood in my veins."

"When did you leave Japan?"

"Do we really need to do this? I don't see the point of your questions."

"Yes, we do."

"If I remember correctly, I left Japan one hundred-fifty years ago. I don't know the day or the month so don't ask."

"Why did you leave Japan?"

"Personal matters. I have no intention of telling you about them."

"Why did you leave Japan?"

Okay. She had no intention to tell him the long story, but since he was insisting on her reason, she could tell the shortest version. "I had a disagreement with my parents, so I decided to leave my house.

"Your parents still live in Japan?"

"I haven't received any news about them moving somewhere else."

"How many men have you turned into vampires during those one hundred and fifty years?"

"If my memory is serving me right, Walter is the fifth."

"You turned them willingly or unwillingly?"

"All five agreed to become my slaves. And all five tasted my blood. None of them were left to lose their sense of reason."

"The men you didn't turn into vampires…what kind of relationship did you have with them?" This question wasn't usually included in his interrogations; however he couldn't stop his curiosity to know how many she'd had before him. Was he jealous?

"I didn't have a sexual relationship with them, nor did I kiss them. They were men who did everything I wanted, but eventually they bore me. So I left them behind, erased their memories, and found another one each time."

Zero couldn't find a reason why he would be sent here to watch her. Even if she played with men, she turned only five of them into vampires. Even if she played with the others, he found no reason for hunters to have to watch her. She didn't break any laws.

"You turned just five men into vampires? They didn't misbehave?"

"Yes, only five men, and none of them attacked humans. I would have never allowed them to do so. What is going on, Zero?"

"I don't know what's going on. I just found out that my mission here is a farce. Even if they told me at the beginning that my role was to watch you and find reasons to kill you, apparently my role here was just to bring you back to Japan when they ordered me to."

"To bring me back to Japan?" she hid her surprise pretty fast. She had to be careful, or else he would sense something.

"I was told that I would never get the permission to kill you, but to bring you back when they ordered me to. What reasons do they have to bring you back?"

"I don't know. I left Japan many decades ago. You should ask your hunters friends, not me. If you don't mind, I am kind of tired. Your interrogation put me to sleep, and I want to go to bed now. Why don't you come later and then we can talk about what's going on. Maybe I'll come up with something by the time you get back."

It was out of her character to rushed Zero out of her room, and house. But she did so. Zero left without putting her strange behavior under suspicion.

The moment Zero was gone, Anya called for Walter.

"Walter, prepare the luggage. We need to leave as soon as possible."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author Note: **Chapter edited by **Dark Phyre **- thank you for your hard work.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XI<strong>

_One hundred and fifty years ago…_

"No, I won't. I would never agree with your decision, Mother," the red-haired woman yelled. For the past few months, her parents wanted her to do things she never wanted to do. She always obeyed them in the past, but this request she would never grant for them.

"Anya," her mother tried to convince her only child that her solution was the best one "You're old enough to realize your role in our society, and you have responsibilities. For your own sake, I advise you to do what we want you to. Act like a real pureblood."

"No. This is about my own happiness, and I want to be the one to decide, not you, or the council. I won't agree with your request. If you insist on the matter, I'll run away."

"If you ran away, then we would find you and drag you home by force."

"That's only if you find me."

Two days later her mother found a note written by her only daughter, announcing that she had indeed run away from her home.

_Thirty years later…_

"My my, I knew I would find you here." The one who spoke was a noble vampire, around forty years old (in human years). "It took me three decades to find the prodigal daughter of the Cold clan. I came to take you home, my lady."

Anya looked at the man in front of her. She knew his reputation – he was called The Stalker in vampire society - he was the vampire sent to deal with the troublesome ones. He rarely failed in his missions. But the vampires he dealt with until now were at the same level as him, and Anya's level was different from the rest.

"It's an honor to meet you, Stalker-san. Unfortunately, you will be returning home barehanded. I will never go with you."

The vampire had tried to use his unique abilities on Anya, but the troublesome abilities had been easily annihilated by her stronger power. Anya used more force than necessary, and had knocked the one called The Stalker into unconsciousness.

Anya had taken her leave, happy that she won another battle with her stubborn mother.

_Twenty years later…_

"Hm…what have we here; another dog who came to drag me home? I guess my mother didn't learn her lesson after all."

"Anya-sama, your parents are worried. In these last fifty years you have done things a pureblood wouldn't normally do. I am afraid you've brought shame to your family name. Please come home, and comply with your mother's wishes."

"She sent a polite one now," Anya laughed." Did she think I would return if I was asked nicely? I won't return until she gives up on those absurd ideas of hers."

"Anya-sama, I tried to get you to come back without the aid of force. Please forgive my following actions."

Suddenly the vampire used a whip of light to try to catch her. When the whip touched her skin it burned, and poison swiftly spread throughout her body. Anya felt dizzy, nauseas. She had no other choice than to use her full power, and she sent that servant to her death.

_Present day…_

"Walter, I told you to prepare our luggage. Don't stand there and do nothing. The clock is ticking. We cannot waste another minute."

"My lady, what is going on? Why do we need to leave in a hurry?" His lady's behavior was strange. She had been fine up until she received the visit from that hunter. Immediately after his leaving, his lady had become agitated for some reason.

"She knows I am here, and she sent him to bring me back. I will not return home, and do what that woman wants me to do."

"My lady…I do not understand. Why should he bring you back, and who's 'that woman'?"

Anya turned to face her faithful servant. "I am talking about my mother. This time, she sent a hunter to bring me back home. I should have known that this was her doing. She told me she would drag me home by force if she had to. We need to go before the hunter finds out the truth behind his mission. Go and prepare our luggage for our departure. We're leaving tonight."

* * *

><p>He just arrived at home when his phone rang. He picked it up without looking at the screen.<p>

"Yo, stupid apprentice! I heard you had some problems with your mission." Zero knew the voice very well; it was his shiso – Yagari Touga.

"I heard some things about my mission as well. Like how this whole mission is a farce and I am not here to kill her, but to stay around her, and bring her back to Japan when I'm ordered to. What's going on?"

"You don't need to know all the details, stupid apprentice. Just do what you're told."

"I will find out eventually. Anya doesn't know why I was sent here for whatever purpose, but sooner or later I will find out."

"You talked about your mission with her? You told her you're there to bring her back to Japan?"

"Yes, I did. I just returned from there. I will visit her again later, and talk more about it. Maybe we missed something."

"When you told her about it, did she talk and act normally, or was she uneasy about it?"

"Now that you mention it, she wanted to get rid of me. Basically she showed me the door, and this is strange for her since she's taken a liking to me."

"You stupid apprentice, she tricked you. She knows why you have to bring her back to Japan. I bet she's going to try to run away while we're speaking. Go and arrest her, and bring her back to Japan!"

"Hey Shiso, what's going on? Why should I bring her back to Japan?"

"She ran away from home one hundred fifty years ago. Since then, her family has sent multiple vampires to bring her back, but they all failed. For one hundred years, she couldn't be found. When her family had clues of where she could be, they decided to ask for the help of the Hunters Association. Stop wasting precious time. I bet she's trying to run away. Go and arrest her!"

Zero threw the phone somewhere on the bed, and left in a hurry. Considering her strange behavior he needed to run like the wind. He would not fail in this mission.

When he arrived at her mansion, the lights were on, and he could sense agitation inside. He took two steps further, and the door opened. In front of him were two people with luggage in-hand.

Anya was too agitated to sense his presence while she was still inside. When she saw his form standing meters away from her she stopped breathing. She couldn't say a word to him.

"I see that I came in time. If I had been five minutes later, you would have run away with no trace, isn't that right, Anya?"

Zero moved toward a mute Anya. When he was in front of her, his hands went around her waist and he kissed her lips. Her shock was too big to respond to his action. Behind Anya, Walter spoke no words.

A click woke Anya from her trance. She found her hands cuffed.

"What are you doing, hunter-san?"

"I am doing my job. I received orders to stop you from running away, and bring you back to Japan."

"I won't come. If I return, she will force me to marry some man that I don't even know. I refused to do before. I had escaped twice, and the third will be the same." She wanted to rip the cuffs apart, but she couldn't feel her power.

"These are magic cuffs; it restrains the power of a vampire. You cannot get away this time."

"Please let me go! I did nothing wrong. I have the right to decide for my own happiness, not having others choose for me. They will force me to marry a man that I have no feelings for. Please let me go!"

Zero didn't like what he heard about her being forced to marry against her will, but he had a job to do. His job as hunter was above everything else. He would bring her to Japan, and she would accept her own fate.

"I am sorry, but my job is my job. We're going back to Japan."

However, the other vampire, Walter, couldn't stay still and see his lady suffer.

"You heard the reason for your mission, and you heard her pleas for you to let her go, but you still refuse to set her free. I won't allow my lady to return to a place where she will certainly suffer. What you two shared in the privacy of her chambers wasn't enough for you to release her now?"

A part of him wanted to let her go, but at the same time, a part of him existed that was very much against it.

"Anya, advise your servant to behave, or else he will become a pile of ashes. We will leave for Japan today."

"I will come with my lady. I won't leave her alone."

"Do as you like."

* * *

><p>The news of Zero catching Anya, and bringing her back to the land she was born and raised in reached Japan.<p>

However, one man wasn't very happy with the sudden return of the silver-haired hunter. And now he was in need of a shelter, a place where he could hide.

To hide in one of Hunter Association's rooms was out of the question. It would be the second place that Zero would be looking through, after his house. So he decided to hide at one of his vampire friend's, and he chose his adoptive daughter.

"Yuki-chan, please I need your help!" He was inside Kuran's mansion, on his knees, pleading for shelter. "Kiryu-kun found out why he was sent to UK, and he's returning home, and he's very angry with me. Earlier on the phone he said that the first thing he was going to do when he landed in Japan was to find and kill me."

"Chairman, what did you do for him to have such a horrible idea in his head?"

"He found out that his mission was a farce, and he was sent there because he fitted the profile, and now he wants to kill me. Yuki-chan, please hide me from him. I would be so invisible that you wouldn't even notice my presence."

"I need to talk with Kaname. He's not home right now, he had somewhere to go, but he will return any minute. Please take a seat, and wait for him."

Suddenly Cross Kaien regretted the moment he lifted his sword and attempted to kill Kaname. He put all his hopes in Yuki's power of persuasion.

* * *

><p>The flight from London to Narita Airport, Tokyo took twelve hours, and another three hours with the train. In those 15 hours, he thought he was going to suffocate. He had on his side a very smiley Maria – she found out what was going on, and she had enjoyed a fit of laughs -, a pureblood vampire in sufferance, and mad in the same time, and a servant who constantly threw him deadly glares.<p>

If looks could kill, he would have been dead fifteen hours ago.

He was relieved with each hour that passed, his torture time would come to an end, and he would be free to search for the man who was guilty for his predicament – Cross Kaien.

When they stepped out from the car, he had a duty to hand Anya over to the ones who ordered her arrest, her parents. He saw a man, and a woman next to his shiso. Both of them had the same red hair as his female hostage.

When Anya saw her parents standing near a car, with wide smiles on their faces, she stopped her steps and tried to run away, but her attempt failed. She was literally dragged by Zero until they reached their car.

"Shiso, here she is. I brought her back the way you requested."

"You did a good job, stupid apprentice."

Anya's mother ignored the conversation of the two hunters and headed towards her prodigal daughter.

"Anya-chan, you've become so beautiful. Being a prodigal daughter did you well after all. Mommy missed you so much!" She hugged her lost daughter, and whispered in her ear: "I guess I won the game we played in those last one hundred fifty years after all. Mommy found a very good husband for you. You'll meet him soon."

"Don't be so sure about it. I'll run away at the first opportunity I get, just like last time."

But her mother brought no attention to her daughter threats. Instead, her gaze stopped on another vampire, Walter.

"And who is this young man? Is this man your butler? The one you turned into vampire ten years ago?"

"Mother, he's Walter, my faithful servant. He will always stay by my side."

"Oh…you have good taste. He will be a servant in our house, and his job will be to take care of you. Now, we need to go home. Mommy wants to show you the new wing of our mansion – it will be the place you will reside until your wedding."

If Anya's guess was right, her mother had prepared a place from where she couldn't escape. If she stepped inside that wing, her fate would be decided. She needed to get away before she was forced back home.

But luck wasn't on her side anymore. With those cuffs around her wrists, she had no power, and her attempts to escape were all futile. And the moment her feet touched the floor of the new wing, the doors were sealed behind her.

She saw others coming in and out of the wing, but only she wasn't allowed. The seal was made specially for her. Now, she had to find a way to break the seal.

* * *

><p>Like how he promised over the phone-line, he started to look for the man responsible for his predicament. The first place Zero searched for Cross was in his mansion. Unfortunately, he couldn't find him. Based on the scent he felt inside the mansion, he could tell that the megane-man hadn't been there in the past twelve hours.<p>

His second option was the Hunter Association. He burst into the president's office with the hope to find him there. But all he could find was his former training partner, Takamiya Kaito.

"He's not here. Yesterday he told me he was going to take a short vacation. Yagari is replacing him during his leave. I am here in Yagari's place because he went to fetch you."

"Do you know where he went? He's not in his home."

"He didn't say where he was going, and honestly I don't care where he is. But maybe he's crashing with someone he knows, and who would allow him to visit for a while."

Zero had two good ideas where Cross could have been. He just hoped he wasn't in Kuran's mansion. Maybe he didn't hate Kuran Kaname anymore, but they certainly weren't best buddies. The King of Vampires wouldn't allow violence to occur in his house, or on his lands.

Zero decided to have patience, and wait for the perfect moment to strike. He was going to kill the man who awfully liked to play pranks on him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author note: **Special thanks to** DarkPhyre** my beta reader

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampiree Knight**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XII<strong>

Kuran Kaname, the King of the Vampire Race, was in his office, reflecting on the predicament he was current involved in.

It had been days since Yuuki's foster father asked for shelter in his mansion, and since then, he had been residing there.

Oh, Kaname would have thrown him out in the cold weather if he hadn't seen his wife's teary eyes and heard her pleas; her pregnancy made her too sensitive in his point of view. Also, he couldn't refuse his lovely wife. He could bet megane-man knew about it when he asked her, instead of him, for shelter.

Since Cross Kaien was residing inside his mansion, Kaname made plans to kick him out faster. His first option was to send a letter to Kiryu Zero informing him where that damned hermit was temporary residing, and politely asking him to pay a visit. He would look the other way if it was needed.

The first and the only letter was thrown into the fire when his lovely Yuuki saw it.

"_Do it again and you would sleep on the couch."_

It was enough to make him give up on his plans. He could deal with that hermit's annoying presence in his mansion for a little while longer.

But now he was listening to his best friend's pleas; Takuma Ichijou was in his office and he was asking for his help. Only the King of the Vampire Race could have save him.

Desperately, he ran to Kaname for help when Takuma Ichijou heard the news. He was too young for marriage. Maybe he wouldn't have been bothered if his wife would be someone he knew. But they tried to force an arranged marriage on him with someone he didn't even know, Anya Cold.

He heard about her reputation among men. He wanted to get out of this.

"Please Kaname, help me!" He was on his knees. If he needed to beg at Kaname's feet to get what he wanted, he would do it. Better one hour of embarrassment than a whole life filled with unhappiness.

"Takuma, please stand. It's embarrassing." Instead, Kaname offered him a seat. "Please tell me what happened to you. You're kind of desperate."

"Oh Kaname…they want me to get married." He was speechless. He was the King and this kind of news never reached his ears. "They once tried to marry her with Ouri-sama, but she fled. They tried to bring her back countless times, but they failed. This time they sent Kiryu-san; he succeeded in his mission. They've been back in Japan for three days now. Currently they're making preparations for our engagement party. I need to get out of this!"

He had heard something from Yuuki. She told him about Zero's mission in UK – Maria was her source of information. His wife also told him of the'problems' Zero met there. On the day when Maria's plane landed in Japan, she visited his wife, informing her about Zero's outrageous behavior.

Since then his pregnant, lovely Yuuki was muttering constantly "Men, these days." Beside the incident with the letter he tried as much as possible not to enrage his wife; her hormones made her emotionally unstable.

He also knew about Anya's parents' intention to marry off their daughter; but he never thought it was with Takuma.

"Takuma, what do you want me to do about this matter?"

"Please cancel this insane event. You're the King, no one would dare defy you."

Oh, that was false. He already could count one person who would rip him apart if he dared to do so, and that was his wife.

Since she heard the news about Zero's unorthodox behavior, she made sure nothing would stay in Maria's way to keep Zero on her side. Anya getting married was something she, as the Queen of Vampire Race, would make sure to happen.

He thought too much about this situation; Takuma desperately expected an answer.

"Takuma, why don't you try to get to know your betrothed? I am sure she is a wonderful person."

"Kaname…"

"Think about it. She fled because she didn't want a loveless marriage. You're the same as she; you want to marry due to love. If you knew each other, you could find her good qualities, and you could fall for each other."

"Kaname…"

"Your problem is solved; you won't be engaged into a loveless marriage anymore. You can find happiness on her side."

"Kaname, I am afraid I am not her type. She likes men like Kiryu-san."

Oh yeah, he know that, too. Yuuki made sure he knew that very well.

"Takuma, I am afraid I cannot help you. If this would have been an ordinary situation I would have helped you. Unfortunately it isn't."

"What are you saying Kaname? Why can't you help me? You're the King, the authority of our race."

"I know that, but Takuma, if I need to choose between you and my wife, I would choose my wife with no second thoughts."

"What connection does Yuuki have with my arranged marriage?"

"Yuuki is a friend of Maria's, and the last one is Zero's girlfriend. Also you are perfectly aware that Zero cheated on Maria with Anya. As Maria's friend, Yuuki wants her to be happy, and Maria can be happy only with Zero. Anya getting married and being away from Zero is the perfect opportunity for Maria to have Zero. Yuuki would do anything for this wedding to happen."

"But how this is affecting you?"

"Takuma, my wife is pregnant, and her hormones make her crazy. If I agree to help you, she won't let me sleep in the same bed with her, or she won't talk with me anymore. If you don't want to get married then you need to find a way out of this alone."

His last hope for salvation vanished. He was doomed to spend his eternity with Anya.

* * *

><p>Today was her first opportunity to breathe fresh air. In the past three days, she had been locked up in the newest wing of Cold's mansion. She tried countless times to escape from the prison but her attempts failed miserably.<p>

Today, she was visiting - at her mother's insistence and under careful watch of an experienced hunter – her fiancée, Takuma Ichijou. It would be their first meeting.

The day after tomorrow, they would have their engagement party - it was time for the bride and groom to meet each other. Her first impression about her fiancée wasn't bad. He was a tall man, his hair had the color of lemon, and he had beautiful, green eyes.

He would have been perfect if he was her type.

She was left alone with him in a big, nice, decorated living room – they needed to know each other. If those magic bracelets didn't weight a ton on her wrists – she felt like it did, at least – she would have spread her wings, opened the windows and flown away.

She felt powerless. On her way to Ichijou's mansion she tried to remove those adorable cuffs and she failed. Those bracelets hadn't budged at all. Her mother had thought of everything: she created a wing which recognized Anya's power, preventing her leaving, and now when she was out of that mansion wing, magic bracelets sealed her powers. She asked Walter to remove them, but his hands were burnt. Their magic rejected vampires.

She was as vulnerable as a human.

"Good evening Anya-san!" Her fiancée tried to plaster a smile for her; she could see he wasn't thrilled by it.

"Good evening Takuma-san!" she took a seat at the table near her. Maybe her husband-to-be was a reasonable person. He took a seat at the same table, across from her. "It seems you're my future husband."

"Yeah, it seems so."

"Do you like it?"

'Is this a trick question?' He thought. "Anya-san, can you be more explicit? I am afraid I do not understand." He wanted to answer that he didn't like this situation a single bit, and he didn't want to spend his eternity by her side. He didn't want her as his wife. He didn't want her to warm his bed. He had to be careful; she was a pureblood. Her powers could be released if she got upset, and he didn't want to be in the firing range.

"I am asking if you like the situation you're in; if you like the idea of marrying me?"

"I never expected to be involved in an arranged marriage with a pureblood. I didn't have time to get used to it." He tried to see how much he could avoid offending his future wife.

"Takuma-san, if you don't like it you should say so."

"Huh."

"I do not like the situation I am in. You're a handsome man but I have no desire of marrying you. You're not my type. I think we should work together."

"Work? How?" He couldn't understand what this woman wanted from him. She expressed her pure disagreement about marrying him, but she want to work with him?

"It's obvious you don't want me and I don't want you. We're on the same page here. Since we don't desire each other, I propose to work together to get out of this."

"I am listening." He should have admitted that he liked what she proposed. After all, he would follow Kaname's words and find a way out by himself, or in this case, his partner in crime would be his supposed fiancée.

"Decades ago I ran away from my mother. But this time, when she got me, she tried to make sure I wouldn't run away. She built that damned wing which recognizes my powers. When I want to get out from there, the doors and windows shut in my face. No matter how much I try, I cannot escape. When I got out – the first time in three days is today – magic bracelets were put around my wrists." She lifted her hands up and gave him a full view of those damn 'cuffs'.

"I must say that those are nice. It fits your personality."

If she found his comment funny, she would have laughed. "These things are sealing my powers temporarily. I hate to feel powerless. I need these goddamn things off my wrists. Having my powers un-leashed, I could easily run away."

"Then you want me to remove them?" He leaned in closer to her while his hands stretched to touch her bracelets, trying to remove them. She pulled her hands away.

"It's no use for you to try; these bracelets reject vampires. I tried, and even Walter; you would get burned if you touched them."

"Then how do we get out of it? I cannot help you by removing them, nor your servant. Many eyes are watching over us. It would be hard for us to make plans, and succeed."

A cunning smile showed up on her lips. Takuma knew she was probably thinking about something he might not like.

"Even if we protest against this marriage they won't listen to us. So I propose we find a willing person who might help us get out of this marriage."

"How?" He couldn't understand what she was getting at. He couldn't think of a single person who might be willing to help them.

"I have the perfect person in mind who might be willing to help us."

"You mean Kiryu-san? Correct me if I am wrong but didn't he bring you back to Japan despite of what happened between you two? Also he's a vampire, too; he cannot help you with those bracelets. I wouldn't count too much on him."

"Currently my hunter-san is confused. I know he has feelings for me but at the same time he has some sort of feelings for the other woman, too. Not to add that he was ordered to bring me back. He values his job as a hunter. In our relationship, there were many factors that made him react like that. However the person I am referring to is not my hunter-san. He has his part in this story but it is my job to change his mind."

"So who are you referring to, and how do you propose to make Kiryu-san change his mind? I've known him for a while and he can be very stubborn sometimes."

"Takuma-san, my hunter-san is in my part of the plan. You should just follow your part of the plan."

The red-haired pureblood leaned closer whispering her plan to her future-not-to-be-husband. His eyes tried to leave their sockets when he heard her master-plan. He knew he wouldn't like his part of the plan; it would be dangerous for a certain someone, but he must have admitted that if her plan went smoothly, he would be out of this unhappy situation, and she would be far away with her lover.

One hour later, Anya was fetched by the same hunter who brought her into her visit, and returned to the place where she would stay locked until their engagement party. This time the red-haired pureblood showed no resistance. She would stay quiet, and wait for the opportunity to fly again from her parents' controlling influence.

* * *

><p>How many days had passed since he returned from his mission? Three, four days? He gave up counting them. Since he returned, he never saw her; on that day that she was taken away from him. While he was in Hunters Headquarters he heard some talking about her, how she was locked in her own home. He also heard who the man was that she was about to marry.<p>

Ichijou-san was a nice guy. He would give her everything she wanted. He had the same green eyes as her; he could bet that their children would have the same beautiful green eyes. A chill went through his spine when he thought about her being with another man.

If they got married, they would share intimate moments, and a child was a high probability.

_'Can you imagine Anya's swollen midsection?'_

'Carrying the child of another man?'

_'Every day she would rub her swollen belly, she would talk with her unborn child, and maybe she would even sing him something. When her child would kick, her eyes would lighten with happiness.'_

He did not want to think of her being with someone else. He would go crazy if he did.

_'Why would you care if she's with another man? Didn't you choose Maria already?'_

'I did but…'

_'No but. She begged you to set her free. She even told you what would happen with her if she was brought back to Japan. You chose your job and Maria over her.'_

I know what I did. But I am confused. I do not know what I should do. All three are important to me.'

_'Do you think she would forgive you for your betrayal? Maria cleaned the slate but Anya is a proud pureblood. They cannot forget or forgive betrayals.'_

'I know how purebloods are. You don't need to remind me.'

_'She begged you so much that day. But you were merciless; you cuffed her hands and dragged her by force, back to the place she was running away from. Even now, I can remember her green eyes filled with tears. Can you?'_

'I do not want to remember. Leave me alone!'

His inner voice ceased it actions. When he returned in Japan he thought his life would go back to normal. He had been horribly wrong. Since he returned, his mind focused only on the woman he brought back by force. Since he returned, he couldn't get her pleas out of his mind.

His state of mind worsened when he found out her parents wanted to force her into a planned marriage. He tried to feel relieved when he found out who she was about to marry, but he had failed miserably. Thoughts of her being with another man drove him to the edge of sanity.

But he didn't know what to do. A part of him screamed to take Anya and flee somewhere far away with her, and another part wanted Maria by his side.

He was confused.

Going to her engagement party wouldn't do him any better. There, he would see her arm-linked with another man. He would see her smiling at another man.

But he was Maria's partner; she insisted on accepting the invitation to Anya's engagement party. The truth was Maria that wished badly to go there, linking arms with Zero, dancing with Zero, and smiling deviously at Anya, the woman who lost the battle for Zero's love, and now was betrothed with another man. Maria's evil side didn't want to be deprived from this pleasure.

Zero had no other choice than to agree to Maria's invitation, appearing for the first time as a couple in vampire society. He just hoped he would be able to maintain his calm composure when he saw her there.

Zero dressed into the suit Maria carefully prepared for him, and headed to Moon Dormitory where his lover was currently staying. He waited in the living area while she made the final touches. When she came down the stairs, he took her delicate, small hand, leading her to the car.

Soon after they arrived at the party they went to greet the royal couple. However, Yuuki's deadly glares made him want to fly away from there. He wanted to be away from her and this party; he could predict that she would preach to him because of his previous behavior. He really wasn't in the mood for it.

Like the invisible man, he retreated from the center of the party to a place that was much less populated. Sounds of steps came from behind him and made him turn his head. And he saw her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked the beautiful woman who was standing in front of him.

"I needed to see you."

* * *

><p>The engagement party events flowed smoothly; everything was in their place, even the future bride and groom. During the ceremony, Anya linked arms with her husband-to-be, and accepted the gifts she received from the guests.<p>

She thanked them, and expressed her wishes to see them again at the wedding ceremony. The person next to her agreed to his future wife's request, and politely reinforced her statements to the guests.

From all the gifts she received, she must have admitted her husband-to-be present gave her the most interesting present. More importantly, it was practical. She would make sure to use her wedding present to its fullest.

* * *

><p><strong>Author note: <strong>The story is close to the end - another 2 more chapters and done. If you have questions you can ask them though I do not guaranty that I will answer them - especialy if you want spoilers.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author note: **From unknown reasons, the last two remaining chapter aren't revised by a beta. Please excuse the grammar and spelling mistakes. I know that my english is not perfect, but I don't think it's so bad for the message to not come across.

The last chapter will come shortly after this one.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight**

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><p><strong>Chapter XIII<strong>

"_What are you doing here?" he asked the beautiful woman who was standing in front of him. _

"_I wanted so much to see you!"_

_It's been less than a week since they parted ways but for him it had been an eternity. Was she the same beautiful four days ago or she had become more beautiful during these days? His whole body screamed to take her away with him to a place where they cannot be found ever again. _

_Zero stepped towards her but stopped shortly after; his mind was flooded with Maria's sad, crying face. If he would make more steps towards the woman he knows he won't be able to stop taking her with him, leaving a broken, delicate female vampire behind._

"_What are you doing here?" he asked her again. _

"_Isn't this my engagement party? I have every right to be here."_

"_Not the party. I mean why you're here in this deserted garden alone, and not with your fiancée attending to the party?" _

"_But I am attending to the party. It's just not the right time for me to officially make my presence known. But before that I wanted to talk with you. If I won't talk with you now I would never have another chance."_

_While she was talking his eyes glanced at her full, rosy lips; he remembered their taste and how his lips moved over hers molding them gently. He wanted to lock her lips with his own but he stayed still not moving at all._

"_What you desire to tell me?"_

"_Zero" beside the intimate moments they shared in her bed she never said his name like this. He liked how his name sound came from her lips. "I am in love with you." She loves him; his heart was filled with joy. "I never wanted to fall in love, especially with a vampire who lives less than me, but I cannot stop loving you. You suddenly came into my life, and destroy each gate of my defense. Without knowing I have fall in love with you."_

_She couldn't stand the distance between them. She closed the distance between them. Finding herself close to him she couldn't help not to kiss him. His lips were soft the way she remembered; his body was strong; he hadn't changed a little bit._

_Her lips, her kiss were like a drug to him. The moment she pressed her mouth on his he felt intoxicated by her presence. His arms snaked around her waist bringing her closer to his body. He responded with fervor to her actions. _

"_Anya…" he whispered between kisses. _

"_Come with me!" she said and their kiss ceased. "Come with me! Elope with me!"_

"_Elope?"_

"_Yeah, let's run away together to a place where we can never be found out. Let's go to a place where we can be happy forever."_

"_What about Ichijou-san, and what about Maria?"_

"_Ichijou-san is not a problem for us. And about Maria, do you really love her?"_

"_I do care a lot for her. If I would leave her alone I think she would crumble to pieces."_

"_I do not ask you if you care for her. I am asking you if you do really love her."_

"_What are you saying?"_

"_I do think she's a precious person for you; she was on your side when you were in need. But I think my presence in your heart is bigger than hers. I know you're in love with me. Maybe we spend less time together but I know you; if you wouldn't have love for me in your heart you wouldn't have been with me. You're unable to betray someone you really love."_

"_How you said she was on my side when I needed the most. Wouldn't I be cruel if I would leave her and be with you instead?"_

"_But it would be fair for her or you to be together with a woman you love less than me only because you feel indebted to her? Don't you think she would suffer more if your heart won't belong completely and solely to her? Later she would suffer more."_

"_But…" she shushed him to silence._

"_Think at this, and if you would decide to come with me I would wait you at the train station, line 7 at 2 AM the day after tomorrow. I would be there."_

Since yesterday Zero stayed locked inside his room from Cross Academy. Since then he was thinking at his meeting with Anya and at the words they exchanged. He had to make a decision which would change his life forever; elope with Anya and live maybe for eternity a runaway life, or stayed with Maria and maybe someday his feelings for the other woman would cease to exist.

In the time he stayed locked inside his room he thought at the days he spent in UK and how his whole life changed when he met his presumed target. Without knowing he let himself swept away by her charm and surrender to it.

At first he was surprised by her advances but slowly he accepted her touch. When her lips held captive his for the first time Zero responded to her even if his mind knew about another one presence. But a man or a woman did not love with her / his mind; a person loves with his / her heart.

In that moment Zero found out his resolve. He sat up from his bed, and using the window as exit he left his room.

* * *

><p><em>On her way to Ichijou's mansion through the windows of the car she saw a coffee shop in English style. The architecture reminded her of her favorite coffee shop from London. Anya ordered the driver to stop the car.<em>

_The hunter who was her watch dog protested._

"_I am force to marry against my will, and now apparently you want to take my pleasure to eat chocolate cakes too. I would go in there and eat how much chocolate cake I want and you cannot stop me." _

_The hunter understood her reason. And beside his job was to stop her running away not to eat sweets. He stepped away from the car and made her a sign to follow him. _

_Once she was inside the coffee shop she chose a table near the window and made a sign to the waiter to come and take her order._

"_What can I do for you, Miss?" the waitress spoke in an impeccable English. The tone of her voice seemed familiar to Anya and made her lifting her gaze to the woman who just spoke to her. _

_Seeing her here was the last place Anya expected her to see her. The last time when Anya saw her it was in UK and they hadn't a polite conversation. _

"_Your order Miss?" the waitress asked again._

"_I want a huge chocolate cake."_

"_Of course Miss. Your order would be brought in immediately." The polite smiling waitress left her table but return soon with Anya's order. _

_At first she hadn't noticed but soon she discovered a piece of paper brought in the same time with her order. Anya unfolded the paper and read the short sentence. Without being noticed she hid the paper in her pocket, and return to her cake without rising suspicion._

_Anya was thankful that the hunter hadn't accompanied her to the table instead remaining at the entrance of the coffee shop. Her suspicions moves went un-noticed by the hunter._

_Immediately after she finished her huge chocolate cake she headed in a different direction than the hunter was. The hunter who watched over stopped her and gave her a questionable look._

"_I need to go to ladies restroom. Meanwhile you can pay the cake for me." Anya smiled to the man._

"_Why?"_

"_Because I need to. I had let my wallet at home; I have no money."_

"_I mean why you need to go to the bathroom?"_

"_Certain needs are need to be done."_

"_I would come with you."_

_She knew hunters forgot to be polite but still…can't they have common sense?_

"_Are you a woman undercover? If you're not a woman you cannot come in with me to ladies restroom. I hope I don't need to tell you what a woman does in a bathroom? Hunters these days…" she muttered and let behind an embarrassing hunter._

_He paid her order and waited for his charge to come out. _

Anya looked at the clock hands which marked the passing time. It was almost midnight. Soon the person who swore would help her would open the door any minute and would give her the freedom she's seeking for a week.

Anya's room door silently slide open, and the woman Anya expected find out her way inside.

"We need to keep silent if we want to succeed in our plan." The small woman said. Anya understood her reasons. If she had a moment to escape from the prison this was the perfect moment.

"Before leaving I think you need to wear something. Before coming I stole them from the room these were held." The woman said again and showed Anya's the bracelets which restrains her powers.

"Why should I wear those?" she asked with a low voice.

"If you won't wear them you will never be able to get out this house. Remember the moments when you were able to get out; it was only when you had these around your wrists."

"Oh…"

"Inside this mansion wing you don't wear the bracelets. I was thinking why you didn't and soon than I expected I found out the answer. If you would wear them all the time the spell cast upon this wing mansion would be useless."

"Without having those around my wrists the doors and windows shut on my face when I tried to get out. But when I had them on I could be able to get out."

"Exactly. The spell is reacting at your powers, but with these on the spell is useless because these bracelets own spell restrain your powers."

"The spell around mansion cannot recognize my powers since I don't have any."

"Good thing your mother hadn't thought at this." the woman came closer to Anya and put on the bracelets. Quietly they left the room and later the house where she was imprisoned since the day she came back to Japan.

They were miles away from Anya's mansion, close to the place where she established to meet with Zero, when the same woman who put those bracelets on removed them.

"I had kept my word. It's time for you to keep yours."

"If I gave you my word means I would keep my word. I would never back up from it." Anya approached the little woman's neck and sank her sharp fangs into her neck.

"_You're late." The waitress complained when finally Anya came inside ladies restroom._

"_I had a watch dog to lie for coming here. What do you want, Rose?"_

"_What I wanted the last time when we had met. I want Walter back. Did you really thought distance would make me gave up on him?"_

"_Last time, if I remember correctly you failed to bring him on your side. And if I remember correctly I refused to hand him over to you then too."_

"_But this time you will give him to me because I can help you escape."_

_For days Anya wanted to escape and everything she did was futile. What a mere human girl could do?_

"_I would help you escape but in return you must do me a favor. You would turn me into a vampire. This way I can live a long, happy life with Walter."_

"_Are you insane? Would you give up at your human nature? You want to become a vampire?"_

"_I love Walter more than my life. For him…to be with him I would do anything; even give up at my human nature."_

"_Even if you give up on this do you think he would choose to stay with you? Last time he chose me?"_

"_He would stay with me because you will order him to do so. Beside, don't you have feelings for another man? Don't you really want to be with him for the rest of your life? Walter presence would be a nuisance in your relationship with your hunter."_

"_Fine. Let's say I would turn you into a vampire and give Walter back to you but how could you help me? You're a human, and I am a vampire. The world I live is different from yours. I am not surrounded by humans."_

_A cunning smile formed on Rose lips. "Well, this is where you should step in. You shall make sure to add me in your world."_

Anya retreat her sharp fangs from Rose neck. Carefully she licked the blood remains. "From now on you have become a vampire; gradually you will have the same desires a vampire has. I kept my word. However before I leave and let you live a happy life with Walter I must do one more thing."

Anya sliced her wrist skin. "Drink my blood!" she ordered to the little girl.

"I do not want your blood?"

"It's not a matter of wanting or not. Drinking my blood is a must for you to not fall to level E, to not become like the vampire who attacked you and Maria in London."

"Your blood will stop me becoming like that?"

"Yeah, it will because I am the master who took away your humanity." Rose took Anya's wrist drinking the blood which came out from her self-inflicted wound. The few sips she drank she found them tasteless. She retreat and wiped the traces of blood from the corner of her mouth.

"Why did you gave your blood to me, and not let me turn into a horrible creature? It was obvious I hadn't known about what your blood power to stop me becoming an inhuman creature."

"Because Walter would have suffered if he would have seen you falling to the end of the chain. I did it for Walter."

Those words were the last one Rose herd; Anya used her new released powers to get faster to the place her lover was probably waiting.

* * *

><p>When Anya arrived at the train station she found no one. She looked at the wall clock and saw she still needed to wait another thirty minutes. She was sitting on the bench when her senses where flooded with his presence, his scent.<p>

She turned her look and saw him coming towards her. She sat up from the place she was sitting and threw herself into the arms of the man she's in love with.

"You came. You chose me." For the first time Anya cried in his arms. He looked at her crying face and with his thumbs wiped her tears away.

"Of course I came." He whispered on her lips.

"From now on we can live together. We can play even Bonnie and Clyde."

_I need to do something about it._


	14. Chapter 14

**Author note: **The chapter is not revised by a beta. Please excuse my poor english.

Below is the last chapter; I hope you enjoyed this story.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight**

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><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

_Five years later_

You would have thought Ichijou Takuma would escape from marrying a pureblood. Five years ago he thought is doomed to spend the rest of his life on Anya's side. At first when he heard about her plan to get away from a loveless marriage he thought it's not going to work.

But what did he have to lose?

"_Tell me my part of the plan." She leaned in closer to him and whispered the plan. _

"_Down town it's a small English style coffee shop. You will go there and met with a human female named Rose."_

"_Why a human is involved in this?" he couldn't understand the role of that Rose in this situation._

"_You will take her and offer her to me as a wedding present."_

"_What?"_

"_Tomorrow morning you will send the human girl to my mansion with the excuse she's your wedding present for me."_

"_Why should I send a sheep in the middle of wolves? Her life would be in danger."_

"_You will say she's a woman who wants to become a vampire. Also you will say you want your future wife to have a faithful maid permanently with her, and a former human is perfect for your future wife. My parents or any other vampire within Cold grounds won't touch the gift you will send me."_

"_Will you turn her into a vampire?"_

"_That is not something you need to know. However I can tell you I am in need of her human abilities. After I will leave your mansion have careful to accomplish your part of the plan. Send the human girl to me and the rest of the plan is up to me. All you need to do after is to keep your mouth shut, and publicly play along with this marriage."_

Her crazy plan had been successful in the end. Two days after their engagement party news of her eloping with another man reached his ears. He kept silent and even pretended to be offended by her outrageous behavior.

To protect the little human girl who became vampire in that night, and who helped Anya escaped, he took her under his protected wing; as well he proceeded with the male vampire who for a decade was Anya's faithful servant.

A year later after the incident he provided enough money to the couple to open their own coffee shop in English style.

And now, five years later he was dressed in a white suit ready to get married; this time is something he really wished for.

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><p><em>Five years ago, Kurenai Maria found out a letter which metaphorically broke her little heart.<em>

_Immediately after the engagement party Zero asked to be left alone for a while. She knew he had some sort of feelings for the female vampire at which party they just attended. She decided to leave him alone for few days._

_In the second night after the party she felt restless, she couldn't stop feeling insecure; she constantly had a bad feeling. At the first hour of the morning she went to Sun Dormitory to look after him._

_She knocked at his door but no answer came from inside. She opened the unlocked door and stepped inside. He was nowhere. The strange feeling was still buried deep inside her heart. Unconsciously she checked his closet._

_When she saw his clothes inside she found some sort of relief but soon it disappeared when on his desk found out a letter addressed to her._

_Maria,_

_In the last days I thought a lot at us. You're a precious person to me, and you always be and because of this I must let you go. Since I was unfaithful to you I was thinking a lot why I did what I did. Without me realizing, her presence grew in my heart, and slowly became bigger than yours._

_Being with you but my arms wanting to embrace another one I do not find it right for you. If I would be with you while I love another one I would hurt you more because you would know I covet another one._

_I am not seeking your forgiveness. What I did to you I know is painful. However I do hope one day you would found a man who would love you the same you deserve. From all my heart I wish you happiness._

_Zero!_

_While she was reading his letter tears had fallen in cascades over her face. Her knees became weak; she fell to the ground and cried loudly for the love of the man she had just lost._

_Hours later, when strength came back in her weakened legs she sat up from the floor and went to the only place she could find comfort, her best friend Yuuki._

_The Queen of Vampire Race was the one who noticed Anya's parents about her elope with the man called Zero._

But year passed since then, and now five years later she was standing in front of her mirror admiring herself dressed in a wedding dress.

Maybe five years ago she dreamed to get marry with Zero, but five years later she was about to become the bride of another man. Who would have thought they would change partners?

If she would have known where Zero is she would have send him a letter informing him about her upcoming wedding with Ichijou-san. Also she would have told him she got over him and found a man who truly loves her.

She heard a knock at the door; it was the sign she's expected. She opened the door, and left to join destinies with the man who cherished and loved her for the past three years.

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><p>Since their future president chose a woman over his duty as a hunter they send people finding out Zero's surroundings. For five years their efforts were futile but now they perfectly knew where the eloping couple is.<p>

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><p>Somewhere on the East Coast of USA, in a town called New York, in a certain police station and in a random dark room a man and a woman couldn't stop their raw passion.<p>

Maybe it have been years since he can do anything he wants to the red-haired woman who was his partner in private life, as well in his professional life but he couldn't have enough of her. All day long he dreamed at her beautiful, soft lips and wished to hold them captive with his own.

He grabbed her hand and tossed her inside of the first room he saw, and attacked her mouth. She gasped at his action and he inserted his tongue inside her mouth. He explored her wet, little mouth with his tongue.

His hands lifted her sweater and pushed her bra up. He wanted to taste her; his mouth left hers and closed over her right breasts taking in her pert nipple inside. A soft mewl escaped through her lips; she arched her back pushing her breast into his welcoming mouth.

His mouth was busy with her breasts while his hands were busy unzipping her jeans and pulling them down her hips. He brought her closer to him; she could feel his covered arousal pressing on her own hot core.

He's desire her body, and he would have it right here and now but…

Her cell phone rang. He wanted to smash it on the wall; that damn little thing always stopped him when things got hotter. He searched inside her pockets and answered to that damn device.

"What do you want?" currently he wanted to explore for the million times the depths of her core not answering to the phone.

"_Why are you answering Anya's cell phone?" _the other voice asked. When Zero heard that specific voice he knew who it was, the captain of the squad; also since they joined he's always making sexual advances to Anya.

"Do you really want me answer your question?"

"_Keep the answer for yourself. You and Anya have a new mission. So stop whatever you two were doing."_

Zero hung up the phone and looked at his partner disappointed face. "Sorry sweetie! To make up for you I promise to do whatever you want tonight."

Her disappointed voice was replaced with a huge smile; she already knew what she wants, and her lover would be thrilled.

The two left the room heading to their captain office. They received their new mission: to convince a bank robber to release the hostages and eventually arrest him.

When they arrived at the crime scene they saw dozen of curious eyes around; news of a bank robber was an attraction for humans. They got the last news from the detective, and later headed to the bank to talk face to face with the one who interrupt ed their earlier fun.

They entered the bank front door and were greeted with a loaded gun pointed at them. Both sighed.

"Who are you?" the dangerous middle age man asked them.

"We're negotiators. We came here to convince you give up on your cause." Anya answered. Anya was relaxed on her movements; she went to the table nearby and sat on it. The robber was shocked by her behavior.

"If you want to negotiate then we will. I want a chopper if you want these hostages alive."

"First release the women and children. This would look better on your record." Zero tried to respect the protocol how much he could.

"Wait wait wait." Anya interrupted them. Both men looked at her wondering what she wanted to say. "I think is impossible to get a chopper." The robber wanted to protest, slowly directing his gun to a hostage's head.

"Calm down!" she rolled her eyes. "What I try to say is that we cannot park the chopper here. Are you sure you don't want a car which will take you to the chopper?"

People were treated by a mad man with a big huge fire gun, and she couldn't stop not mocking the man. A burst of laughter came out from Zero. However the robber didn't found her comment funny.

"You bitch who do you think you're? Are you in the position to mock me?"

"You cannot kill me with that gun of yours no matter how big it is?" Zero knew that gun's bullet would never cause Anya's death but he couldn't stop feeling fear when the man pointed the gun at her and shot hitting her in the stomach.

His heart felt lighter when he saw her sitting off the table heading directly to the robber. "I told you that you cannot kill me with that gun no matter how big it is. Today you did two big mistakes: 1. Your actions interrupted my fun with my lover. 2. You shout me with your gun. Even if couldn't kill me it stained my clothes. I am pissed."

"What are you?" a normal person would have been in a bath of blood. But this woman was still on her feet like nothing happened. He was afraid.

"I am a police officer of pressing 27 of New York City. My daily job is to protect humans from bad bringing the evil ones in front of justice."

"What she tries to say" Zero had to step in and take charge of the situation. "Is that we never intended to give you a chopper or a car. You will be arrested and judged according to the law for your actions."

"Yeah, so let go of that toy and come with us. Sooner we're out of this I can continue from where I was left."

"Do you think I would do what you say?" the man tried to laugh; he wanted to point his gun at her again and shot her between her eyes but his arm couldn't move to shot her. Instead his fingers lost their grip on the gun which felt to the floor.

"Yes, because this is my wish from which you cannot escape." Her eyes were crimson read, the robber becoming another victim of her powers. Zero appeared behind the robber's back bringing his arms behind his back, cuffing them.

"Honey, please read his rights!"

"As you wish." She took her long coat, covering the blood stain, releasing in the same time the man from under her spell.

It was another successful mission for their team. They joined Police two years ago and their success rate of their mission is 100%. Having a pureblood which could manipulate others proved to be useful for human protection.

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><p>"What would we do about them?" the hunter named Yagari Touga asked his boss. "We know where they're. Should we force them to return?"<p>

The man with eye-glasses reflected on his decision.

"No. Let them where they're. I am happy to know they will spend the rest of their life protecting human lives. Things returned to normal already; let them be happy!"

FIN -


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